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.'"
Read the 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.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority