Cities around the country are trying to figure out how to encourage economic growth, and protect the environment at the same time. Stephanie Hemphill reports on one case where both could be winners:
Transcript
Cities around the country are trying to figure out how to encourage economic growth, and protect the environment at the same time. Stephanie Hemphill reports on one case where both could be winners:
Like a lot of cities, runoff from this city’s streets – polluted with salt, oil, and fertilizer – flows into a waterway. In Duluth, Minnesota, the waterway is Lake Superior.
A local group wants to turn some vacant land near a popular downtown park into a storm water garden that would clean up runoff.
But city councilor Jim Stauber says by state law, the publicly-owned land must be used for economic development.
“We have been very, very clear, and our city attorney staff has been very clear, you can’t put it here.”
Advocates such as Jill Jacoby say that’s a narrow view of economic development.
“Tourism is economic development, and what we’re creating is recreation and tourism.”
And increasingly, experts say environmental benefit often also benefits the economy.
For the Environment Report, I’m Stephanie Hemphill.