Cities, not the agriculture heavy Central Valley, are the source of most of the runoff and pollution that enters the San Francisco Bay, according to a new report.
Many had thought the Bay's pollution was heavily influenced by pesticides travelling through rivers from the Central Valley's agriculture industry. The new report points the blame mainly at cities for their urban runoff.
"City dwellers are also responsible for one of the newest scourges in the bay - the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag.
In its annual report card on the bay, the San Francisco Estuary Institute found that heavy loads of mercury and PCBs are flowing into San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun bays through the web of culverts and creeks that carry storm water from residential and industrial areas around the nine-county region."
FULL STORY: Cities key source of toxics in bay, study finds

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An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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