Many of the nation’s largest dam projects are reaching the end of their useful lives, helped along by nature.

In an opinion column in Governing, Richard Parker outlines the state of the nation’s dams, many of which have been producing hydroelectric power and storing water for over a hundred years.
As Parker explains, “Once the height of engineering marvels, the great dams of the early 20th century have outlasted their questionable usefulness.” Many dams are now poorly maintained, clogged with silt, and pose an increasingly high risk of catastrophic failure.
Now, many of these dams are being removed “after declining in their power output and providing unpredictable sources of water — not to mention their massive environmental damage to fish, Native American cultures and the land itself.”
Parker describes the history of dams in the American West and their key role in the development of population centers in the arid Southwest, as well as the convergence of factors that makes their utility more and more limited. For Parker, the recent recognition of the damage dams cause and the movement to remove them is “part of the rewilding of America, long overdue.”
FULL STORY: American Dams Are Being Demolished. And Nature Is Pushing that Along.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.

Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.

Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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