With heavily polluted waters and eroding shorelines, the Great Lakes are undergoing a rapid deterioration in health. The Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled a 5-year plan to restore the lakes.
The plan will unfold over the next five years, at a cost of $475 million. A major effort will be aimed at combating invasive and non-native species.
"Federal and state officials call the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan "historically unprecedented" in size, funding and coordination between branches of government.
The plan calls itself light on study and heavy on action, seeking to heal the Great Lakes ecosystem from '150 years of abuse' and to ensure that 'fish are safe to eat; the water is safe to drink; the beaches and waters are safe for swimming, surfing, boating and recreating; native species and habitats are protected and thriving; no community suffers disproportionately from the impacts of pollution; and the Great Lakes are a healthy place for people and wildlife to live.'"
FULL STORY: EPA unveils Great Lakes restoration plan
Supreme Court Could Curb EPA’s Water Quality Regulation Powers
A suit brought by the city of San Francisco argues that the agency’s language around water treatment and discharge is too vague and imposes retroactive penalties.
Great Lakes Water Quality Project Seeks to Restore Coastal Vegetation
A plan to restore perennial plants to agricultural land could help reduce runoff and improve water quality across the Great Lakes region.
EPA Relaxes Environmental Rules, Cites Coronavirus
During the outbreak, the agency will allow companies to monitor themselves for pollution violations.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free
Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.
Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies
A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.
USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program
The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.
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.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie