The new Wisconsin Foxconn facility will draw as much as seven million gallons of water from Lake Michigan a day. The Midwest Environmental Advocates argue that violates the Great Lakes Compact.
On July 28, a new Foxconn facility broke ground in a ceremony where president Donald Trump offered his remarks. The Taiwanese contract manufacturer's new facility will consume as much as 7 million gallons of fresh water from Lake Michigan everyday, some see this resource use as a violation of the Great Lakes Compact.
Midwest Environmental Advocates leads a group of advocates trying to stop the facility from going into operation. "Instead of going straight to court, the firm and a coalition of Wisconsin- and Minnesota-based environmental groups it represents have appealed the matter to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which approved the diversion in April 2018 and has decided to hear the appeal," Scott Gordon reports for Urban Milwaukee. Decisions on the facility’s access to this water will set a precedent for water usage all around Lake Michigan.
FULL STORY: Wrangling Over Foxconn’s Massive Water Plan
Scientists Studying Artificial Reefs as Flood Mitigation in Great Lakes
Artificial reefs could offer a ‘softer’ flood management and erosion solution that doesn’t disrupt the flow of sediment.
NYC Under Drought Warning, Residents Urged to Conserve Water
Amid a series of brush fires, including one in Manhattan, the city issued the first drought warning in 22 years and announced plans to release water through the Delaware Aqueduct to supplement local reservoirs.
Great Lakes Water Quality Project Seeks to Restore Coastal Vegetation
A plan to restore perennial plants to agricultural land could help reduce runoff and improve water quality across the Great Lakes region.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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