The federal government is giving local officials nationwide an ultimatum: Either use eminent domain to force people out of flood-prone homes, or forfeit the chance for federal money to combat climate change.
This move is an effort by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect people from disasters. Officials from the Florida Keys to the New Jersey coast, including Miami, Charleston, S.C., and Selma, Ala., are facing this choice.
Local governments seeking federal money to help people leave flood zones must first agree to oust people who refuse to move. Some local governments have told the Corps they will do so if necessary, while others have yet to decide.
The Corps protects Americans from flooding and coastal storms by building sea walls, levees and other protective structures, and by elevating homes. The Corps typically pays two-thirds of the cost, with local government paying the rest.
Related Stories
| Dec 15, 2011
NRDC charges Maine governor with weakening green wood requirement
The FSC program is administered through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and requires wood to be harvested in a sustainable way.
| Dec 15, 2011
Post-tornado, Tuscaloosa seeks to create walkable urban, retail areas
Block sizes initially were limited to a maximum perimeter of 1,750 feet, with no side of the block being longer than 500 feet.
| Dec 15, 2011
Allentown, Pa. city council asked to repeal union-friendly law
The mayor of Allentown, Pa. asked the City Council to repeal a year-old ordinance that forces contractors to hire union workers for large city projects funded with state and federal dollars.
| Dec 13, 2011
LEED-EB outpaces LEED for new construction
The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.
| Dec 13, 2011
Regulators charge pervasive abuse of construction workers in Connecticut
Federal and state regulators say they have uncovered what they call "widespread noncompliance" with minimum wage and overtime laws in Connecticut's construction industry.
| Dec 13, 2011
Philadelphia mayor signs order for project labor agreements
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order establishing project labor agreements for major public works projects in Philadelphia.
| Dec 13, 2011
Improved code requirements for attic ventilation
The Roof Assembly Ventilation Coalition (RAVC) participated in the development of the code.
| Dec 12, 2011
LEED-EB Outpaces LEED for New Construction
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.
| Dec 12, 2011
Philadelphia Mayor Signs Order for Project Labor Agreements
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order establishing project labor agreements for major public works projects in Philadelphia.
| Dec 12, 2011
Improved Code Requirements for Attic Ventilation
The International Code Council (ICC) recently published the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) that includes improved code requirements for balanced intake and exhaust for ventilated attics.
