An algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an oxygen-starved area the size of Massachusetts. Part of the problem is sewage runoff flowing south from Chicago.
Tony Briscoe reports that a giant algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico is being fed by agricultural and urban runoff from the Midwest flowing into the Mississippi River. "While the agricultural runoff from farms — exempted under the Clean Water Act — is the main driver of the Gulf dead zone, Chicago’s sewage is the largest single source of phosphorus pollution."
Heavy rains are flushing more nitrogen from fertilizer and phosphorous from sewage into the river, and the resulting dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is killing off fish and shrimp populations. But dead zones are also a problem in the Great Lakes, with large algae blooms in Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, reports Briscoe.
Environmental groups want to see less water pollution coming out of Chicago, and they are also working to curb agricultural runoff. "In collaboration with the agricultural industry, the [Natural Resources Defense Council] pushed to incentivize the use of cover crops, plants like cereal rye that soak up water and nutrients during the off-season," writes Briscoe.
FULL STORY: There’s a giant dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico — thanks in large part to pollution from Chicago
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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