Costs to import water are expected to skyrocket in Southern California, making the Metropolitan Water District look for other sources. Groundwater anyone?
MWD will lose 5 percent of its hydro-generated electricity from Hoover Dam under new a contract that will take effect after the current one expires in 2017. Combined with higher-priced energy alternatives, and -- as a result of California's upcoming cap-and-trade program -- buying pollution allowances for the new energy source, agency officials predict the Colorado River Aqueduct's cost will increase by 80 percent over the next decade. Last year's aqueduct energy cost was $49 million, reports Bettina Boxall for the Los Angeles Times.
"It will further encourage retail water suppliers to use less imported water," said Edward Osann, a former federal water official who is a policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It's that simple."
FULL STORY: The energy, and expense, of bringing water to the Southland
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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 Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research