The EPA's proposal to list the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site is getting mixed reactions from nearby residents and officials: some see the designation as a development-halting stigma, others as quite the opposite.
"Experts on contaminated sites said that a Superfund listing typically stirs contradictory emotions. On one hand, some people who live nearby may feel demoralized and even frightened by the finding of serious contamination and worry about its impact on real estate values; on the other, some are often relieved to get a firm commitment to clean up the toxic substances in their midst.
'It's very common to have the division between those who see it as terrible and those who see it as an opportunity,' said Kris Wernstedt, an associate professor of urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech's Alexandria campus who specializes in Superfund and brownfield issues.
Studies have shown that property values decline after a Superfund listing but rebound after the cleanup, sometimes to far higher levels, he said.
The proposed designation has put Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has championed a greener New York, in the odd position of opposing the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which requested the Superfund listing for the canal."
FULL STORY: On the Gowanus Canal, Fear of Superfund Stigma
Will a Brooklyn Superfund Site Become the Borough's Next Hot Nabe?
On-again, off-again, and now back on-again plans to redevelop the polluted area between two of Brooklyn's most affluent neighborhoods have the residents of Gowanus divided on the direction of their gritty community.
Big Day for Brooklyn: Gowanus Canal Clean Up Begins
Local advocates are celebrating the start of clean up work on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
NYC Unveils Plans for Cleaning Up One of Its Most Polluted Waterways
The EPA has released plans for how it intends to clean up Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal Superfund site. Branden Klayko reports on the $500 million, two pronged approach.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions