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.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years
The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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