Almost every community in the Chicago area is at risk of flooding, and powerful storms are expected to increase. Here’s what to know about flood insurance.
Environmental Health
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration says it will spend more than $520 million to fix homes and the sewer infrastructure needed to help prevent future floods. Residents are growing impatient.
Pacoima is hemmed in by highways and heavy industry, and its residents are fighting pollution with hyperlocal air quality monitoring.
Frequent heavy rainfall in Southeast Michigan over the last decade has raised awareness of indoor mold among homeowners and renters. As water recedes after a flood, mold can develop within as little as 48 hours.
“Every person in Detroit is at risk for flooding – every single household,” says University of Michigan epidemiologist Peter Larson.
Locals who depend on the sea for food and culture are trying to understand the risks to traditional foods and wildlife populations in a region undergoing myriad changes.
Threats from multiple types of toxin-producing algae and algae-like organisms are rising as does the water temperature.
Some 70,000 homes flooded in 2023, leaving mold in many West Side homes, including in Dorothy Rosenthal’s basement. The Chicago health department offers no help to flood victims like her.
A reporting team tested 84 playgrounds and found about half exceeded federal lead limits.
Arizona lacks workplace heat safety rules, leaving outdoor workers at risk of death as climate change worsens extreme weather events. A reporter combines data, public records and worker voices to highlight the danger.