Where aging infrastructure is concerned, most of us don't immediately think of old dams. But there are a lot of them. Environmental advocates want to see them go, and in recent years de-damming has picked up speed.

While hydroelectric power remains a significant source of renewable energy, thousands of dams across the country are becoming obsolete. Advocates argue that restoring key rivers is worth the cost of decommissioning old dams. Daniel J. McGraw writes, "Dams prevent waterways from cleaning themselves. When they are removed, the natural filtering process can work its magic."
"Since 1912, about 1,300 dams have been removed in the U.S. But in the last 10 years, the pace of de-damming has sped up considerably with nearly half of the removals happening since 2006." According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 14,000 dams across the U.S. are high-hazard, "meaning there will be loss of life and significant economic loss downstream if they fail."
McGraw's piece focuses on Ohio's Cuyahoga River, which infamously caught fire in the late 1960s and prompted the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. De-damming that river has bipartisan support, but finding the funds can be difficult, especially as the Trump administration proposes massive cuts to the EPA.
FULL STORY: America’s Great Dam Teardown Means Cleaner Water, More Parkland

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Tenant Advocates: Rent Gouging Rampant After LA Wildfires
The Rent Brigade says it's found evidence of thousands of likely instances of rent gouging. In some cases, the landlords accused of exploiting the fires had made campaign donations to those responsible for enforcement.

Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details
The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.

DOJ Seeks to End USDOT Affirmative Action Program
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program encouraged contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses in the transportation sector, where these groups are vastly underrepresented.
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 Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada