Residents living near Brooklyn's toxic Gowanus Canal are fighting the E.P.A.'s $500 million environmental cleanup effort over disagreement with the methods proposed by the agency. Will their opposition thwart the long-sought remediation.
Most residents who live in proximity to Brooklyn's heavily polluted Gowanus can agree on one fundamental thing: "They want the canal purged of pollutants like PCBs, lead, mercury and raw sewage..." But, as Joseph Berger reports, two neighborhood groups are fighting the Environmental Protection Agency's plans for how to accomplish that task.
"One neighborhood fears that the sludge taken out from the canal would poison the air over their ball fields, and others worry that the location of a sewage-processing site needed for the cleanup would destroy a beloved swimming pool."
"The disputes illustrate a predicament that often crops up in environmental remediation: those affected see the cure as worse than the disease."
FULL STORY: Neighbors Resist a Plan to Clean a Toxic Canal
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.
EPA Launches Long-Awaited Cleanup of Gowanus Canal
Gowanus Creek was channelized in the 1800s and has been accumulating sludge ever since.
New York Tries to Dodge Superfund Status for Canal
New York City's Gowanus Canal has been heavily polluted for years. Mayor Bloomberg said the cleanup would happen, but it never did. Now the EPA is calling the troubled waterway a Superfund site and the city is kickstarting action.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
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?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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