West Virginia-based SkyTruth is culling satellite and aerial images to blow the whistle on unreported damage to the environment.
"Since 2001, West Virginia-based SkyTruth has been compiling published satellite and aerial images, then tasking computers and citizen volunteers to sort them to uncover potential environmental damage," according to an article by Rob Wile.
SkyTruth's big finds include revealing the true scope of the BP oil spill in 2010 as well as a Canadian mine in 2014 that spewed 1.3 billion gallons of toxic waste into the environment.
Wile goes on to detail SkyTruth's current project—the FrackFinder project, which is "plotting fracking activity across Pennsylvania and Ohio to better allow researchers to pinpoint where fracking is occurring." That effort uses publicly available satellite images from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Another current project is tracking the disappearance of Louisiana's land mass.
FULL STORY: A small group from West Virginia is running the most important whistleblowing shop you’ve never heard of
Los Angeles Reaches $38.2 Million Settlement over Allegations of Defrauding HUD
The City of Los Angeles has settled in a case filed by a whistleblower alleging that it falsely certified homes in its HUD-funded affordable multifamily housing program as accessible by people with disabilities.
Satellite, Launched Into Space Earlier This Month, to Measure Urban Heat Island Effect
A new satellite, currently residing on the International Space Station and scheduled for deployment in January, will measure and map the urban heat island effect of seven U.S. cities.
View the Smoke from the California Fires From Satellite
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been making the most of its celestial perch to illustrate the scale of the fires currently burning in Southern California.
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.
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.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Caltrans
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service