The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority wants to revise a settlement reached eight years ago with environmental groups that would have seen the agency build three huge tunnels to manage storm water runoff. The Authority would like to build green systems.
Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case meant to establish who's to blame for polluted storm waters entering L.A.'s waterways. Within miles of the court, residents and officials in Washington are debating how to manage the same issue, with the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority seeking to back out of an agreement reached eight years ago to settle a federal lawsuit with local environmental groups. The Authority had agreed to build three giant tunnels to stop pipes from overflowing during heavy storms.
"But now," says reporter Darryl Fears, "the three-tunnel solution is in doubt, and activists, engineers and bureaucrats are arguing once again about the best path to cleaner waters. Although digging is underway for the first tunnel, D.C. Water wants to put the other two on hold and instead see whether rain gardens, retention ponds and grass rooftops can soak up as much storm-water runoff as the pipes can store."
"Among local environmental activist groups, a verdict on the request is already clear: Don’t do it. Some are enraged; others have expressed dismay about the proposal."
Although the green system has the potential for offering benefits beyond filtering storm water (such as cooling and beautifying the city), many are concerned about D.C. Water's request for an additional eight years to build and test an experimental green infrastructure project. "Opponents say that if the green pilot project wins approval, billions of gallons of sewage would pour into the Potomac and Rock Creek for eight years while D.C. Water conducts its tests."
The debate over the proposal has already cost the head of the D.C. Department of the Environment (DDOE), Christophe Tulou, his job after he expressed reservations about how well the green infrastructure project could perform.
FULL STORY: D.C. debates best path to cleaner waterways
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Colorado Bill Would Tie Transportation Funding to TOD
The proposed law would require cities to meet certain housing targets near transit or risk losing access to a key state highway fund.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.