Under the Trump administration, criminal prosecution of polluters is an historically rare activity.
Ellen Knickmeyer reports on a new standard in enforcement set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to data from the U.S. Department of Justice, the EPA is now pursuing the fewest number of criminal prosecutions in 30 years. The EPA pursued only 166 cases, the lowest number since 1988. The number of criminal prosecutions referred by the EPA peaked in 1998, with 592, and have declined ever since.
The current trend was first noticed in February 2018, when an Environmental Integrity Project investigation found the number of civil penalties pursued by the EPA plummeting during the Trump Administration.
FULL STORY: EPA criminal action against polluters hits 30-year low
U.S. EPA To Reclassify Thousands of Major Polluters
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated its new rule change will result in up to 1,258 tons of additional emissions of hazardous materials every year.
The Trump Administration's Environmental Policies Have Consequences for Black Lives
A Trump administration decision not to tighten Clean Air Act restrictions on soot pollution will have more consequences for Black Americans.
Comments Closed for Significant Changes to 'Waters of the United States' Rule
The Trump administration has spent the first two years of its time in office trying to overturn key provisions of the "Waters of the United States" rule.
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.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
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.
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.
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Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service