Long-Awaited Pompeii Preservation Plan Unveiled

Elisabetta Povoledo reports on a long-term plan unveiled last week to protect Pompeii from the impact of nature, tourists, and organized crime.

1 minute read

April 9, 2012, 8:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


A series of structural collapses at the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy over the past 18 months have concerned historians, the public, and government officials. With a contribution of $137 million from the European Commission, Italian officials are moving forward with "The Great Pompeii Project", a plan to restore and conserve the archaeological site.

As Povoledo reports, crucial to the plan, which officials hope will help stimulate the economy in the economically depressed area around Naples, are measures "intended to ensure that the funds reached their destination," and are not siphoned by the Camorra, the Neapolitan organized crime network.

"Italy's southern regions have had a hard time shaking off a widely held reputation of corruption and misspending of public funds that has mired it in negative economic growth for years. Concerns that the Camorra could infiltrate the companies that win the bids for the public works at Pompeii led to the establishment of protocol announced Thursday," writes Povoledo.

Thursday, April 5, 2012 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

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?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

April 21 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

April 21 - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

April 21 - Axios