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Recent flash floods highlight need to mitigate urban flooding
This summer has been a harsh reminder of the climate change impacts we face in northeastern Illinois. A summer that started with severe drought shifted to a storm on July 2 that dumped rain on Cook County — including more than eight inches in Berwyn, Cicero, and Chicago's Austin neighborhood — and led to significant urban flooding.
This storm is the type of intense flash flood event that we can expect to see more of in the future. Learn more about urban flooding and what we can do as a region to mitigate it.
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PART: recommending solutions to shape the future of our transit system
With federal COVID-19 assistance expiring and ridership below pre-pandemic levels, big, bold solutions are needed to secure the financial viability of northeastern Illinois' transit system.
Transit is an important part of northeastern Illinois’ response to climate change. It helps reduce congestion and enables more environmentally sustainable land use and development patterns. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's (CMAP) recent Greenhouse Gas Inventory found that transportation emissions have increased, largely due to more miles driven by cars and trucks. Without transit, the region will fail to meet emission reduction goals and will exacerbate a rapidly changing climate.
The Illinois General Assembly tasked CMAP with creating a report with legislative recommendations to help address this funding crisis: the Plan of Action for Regional Transit (PART).
After months of work with partners and stakeholders, CMAP has published draft recommendations on improving and funding the transit system, with more recommendations expected throughout the summer. The final PART report is due January 1.
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New snapshots offer updated information about your community
CMAP released a new set of Community Data Snapshots to help local leaders and the public track progress and make informed decisions in their communities. These data-rich snapshots — one for each of the region's 7 counties, 284 municipalities, and 77 Chicago neighborhoods — provide information about demographics, housing, transportation, employment, land use, water supply, and more.
View and print your community's snapshot on the CMAP website, or visit CMAP’s newly redesigned Data Hub to download the data tables.
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Climate Committee convenes around resilience-related topics
The Climate Committee met for their first in-person meeting this week at CMAP’s office. This month's meeting focused on resilience, including:
Flood resilience
Kate Evasic, senior planner, presented on two flood resilience projects. The regional flood susceptibility index is currently being updated to improve the data, methodology, and user experience. The second project is to develop a guide for equitable flood resilience investments. Written for engineers and planners working with local governments, the guide will include key principles, strategies, and best practices, and highlight success stories.
Transit funding solutions
Elizabeth Scott, principal policy analyst, updated the committee on potential funding solutions identified through PART and their climate impact. She also covered a case study on the California Air Resources Board and the state's cap-and-trade program. The committee discussed incentives and barriers to climate-positive revenue strategies, and the impact of electric vehicles on greenhouse gas and land use goals.
Regional climate action planning
Brian Daly, CMAP senior planner, and Edith Makra, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus director of environmental initiatives, briefed the committee on how the two organizations are partnering for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. Together, we will create a:
- Priority Climate Action Plan, which will include a list of near-term, high-priority, implementation-ready measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution
- Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, including all significant GHG sources/sinks and sectors, near-term and long-term GHG emission reduction goals, and strategies to achieve those goals
- Status report of the implementation of GHG reductions strategies included in the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan
The committee meets next on Tuesday, October 24.
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July is Lakes Appreciation Month!
The North American Lake Management Society started Lakes Appreciation Month to focus attention on the value of lakes. Learn how you can show your love of lakes.
In our region, 6.6 million people rely on Lake Michigan for drinking water. ON TO 2050, northeastern Illinois' comprehensive plan, calls on the region to coordinate shared water supply resources for long-term sustainability. The plan's drinking water local strategy map identifies the different sources of water supply — including Lake Michigan — and how municipalities can address their unique challenges and management needs.
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Helping communities solve water challenges
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Water Technical Assistance provides free hands-on support for communities to assess their water needs, identify potential solutions, and apply for federal funding to address water challenges. Register for an informational webinar on Monday, July 31, to learn about the program and available resources to help ensure every community has essential water and wastewater services. Visit the Water Technical Assistance website or review this fact sheet for more information.
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Apply for water resources projects pilot program
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is launching a pilot program to fully fund water projects in small or economically disadvantaged communities. Projects include flood mitigation for riverine flooding, aquatic ecosystem restoration, public shoreline erosion prevention, and more. If you have questions or need assistance developing a proposal, email chicagodistrict.pao@usace.army.mil. Proposals are due Monday, August 21.
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Funding opportunity for green infrastructure projects
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities Program funds projects to build green infrastructure that prevents, eliminates, or reduces water quality impairments by decreasing stormwater runoff into Illinois' rivers, streams, and lakes. Applications are due by noon on Wednesday, October 18. A technical assistance session will be held on August 15, at 1:30 p.m.
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