Energy

img_7314

Community Solar, an Alternative Energy Win-Win

Across the country, community solar is taking off and making the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy more accessible.

May 3, 2019 - Curbed New York

Electric Car Charging Stencil

New Developments Must Be EV Ready in Seattle

It's not the same as requiring that all new development have charging facilities and parking spots for electric vehicles, but it's close.

May 1, 2019 - The Urbanist

Fracking

Department of Interior Plans to Open 1 Million Acres in California to Fracking

The Bakersfield Office of the Bureau of Land Management released an environmental study that is the basis for undoing a 2013 de facto moratorium on fracking on federal lands in California. The Supplemental EIS triggers a 45-day public comment period.

April 28, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Virginia State Government

Republicans Block Virginia from Joining Regional Cap-and-Trade Program

The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board approved a cap-and-trade policy for utilities to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, but Republicans added language in the state budget bill to prevent it.

April 25, 2019 - The Washington Post

D.C. Metro Bus

An Energy Efficient Makeover for D.C.-Area Public Transit

D.C. Metro has a plan to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption by building to LEED green building standards and buying electric buses.

April 25, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Salesforce Tower and 181 Fremont

Another Big City Announces Sweeping Energy Plans for Buildings

San Francisco and New York City made a theme of this year's Earth Day: mandating emissions reductions from buildings.

April 24, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Coal Extraction

Judge Halts Sales of New Coal Mining Leases on Federal Lands

Once again, the president's efforts to undo his predecessor's environmental legacy were thwarted by a court ruling. In this case, the Interior Department's failure to conduct an environmental review of a Trump executive order ran afoul of NEPA.

April 23, 2019 - The New York Times

Coney Island

NYC Targets Buildings for Massive Emissions Reduction Effort

Last week, the New York City Council approved some of the most substantial climate change legislation to date by a city in the United States—call it the local example of the Green New Deal.

April 22, 2019 - Huffington Post

Utility-Scale Solar

World's Largest Concentrating Solar-Thermal Plant Plan a No-Go

Developers have withdrawn an application to build the world's largest concentrating solar-thermal power facility.

April 17, 2019 - Bloomberg Environment

Solar and Wind Energy

Chicago Sets Goal for 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2040

A non-binding resolution is a small step in the direction of clean energy.

April 15, 2019 - WTTW

Donald Trump

Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines

The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.

April 15, 2019 - InsideClimate News

Energy Factory II

No Good News for Climate Stabilization From a New Worldwide Energy Report

Last month, the Paris-based International Energy Agency released its annual "Global Energy & CO2 Status Report." Energy consumption grew 2.3 percent with fossil fuels accounting for 70 percent on the increase. CO2 emissions jumped 1.7 percent.

April 5, 2019 - The Washington Post

Gas and Oil Company

Royal Dutch Shell: Big Oil with a Conscience?

Big Oil companies are not all alike. Royal Dutch Shell is the first one to part ways with a major oil industry trade group over differences on climate change. It's also linking executive pay to goals to reduce the company's carbon footprint.

April 5, 2019 - The Washington Post

Kaiser LEED Certified Building

The Local Green Building Policies Showing the Way for the Green New Deal

The heating and cooling of buildings must be addressed if the United States is going to curb its emissions.

April 2, 2019 - Vox

Electric Cars

N.Y.C. Saving Money With Electric Vehicles

The price of electric cars is dropping, and this together with lower lifetime costs makes them a good alternative for vehicle fleets.

April 2, 2019 - Quartz

Fund Clean Energy - Stop HRL Coal Fired power station - withdraw federal grant

Report: Most U.S. Coal Plants Uncompetitive with Renewables

The report heralds increased shuttering of coal-burning powered plants due to cheaper alternatives. Almost three-quarters of coal-burning power plants today are more costly to operate than renewable facilities. In six years, it jumps to 86 percent.

March 29, 2019 - InsideClimate News

Court Overrules U.S. EPA in Baltimore Runoff Case

Environmentalists challenged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and won.

March 29, 2019 - NRDC

U.S. Capital

Senate Votes 0–57 to Rebuff Green New Deal

Not one Democratic senator, including sponsor Ed Markey (Mass.), voted on Tuesday to support the resolution "recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal." Instead, most, but not all, Democrats voted "present."

March 27, 2019 - The Washington Post

Rural Traffic

Replacing Diesel-Powered Trucks With Natural Gas, Hybrid, and Battery Power

The U.S. Department of Energy, in partnership with the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, awarded $18 million to nine companies and universities to advance natural gas technology for trucks.

March 26, 2019 - Climatewire

Air Pollution

A New Look at Causes and Effects of Pollution, From Production to Consumption

Research shows racial disparities in exposure to air pollution as well as consumption of the goods and services that cause it.

March 22, 2019 - NPR

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.