Environment

Seawall Crescent City California

As Sea Levels Rise, Some Cities Will Be Saved While Others Will Be Left Behind

U.S. coastal cities need to prepare for the effects of climate change, but the pot of funding is limited. There’s no way around the fact that there will be winners and there will be losers.

June 22, 2019 - The New York Times

Mississippi River Missouri

Polluted Chicago Water Travels Over 1,000 Miles and Wreaks Havoc in the Gulf

An algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an oxygen-starved area the size of Massachusetts. Part of the problem is sewage runoff flowing south from Chicago.

June 22, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Boston Seaport

Boston’s Seaport District, Where Building Started Before Flood Preparation

The Boston waterfront has been booming, but the area is extremely vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. Measures to address those risks have come just recently.

June 22, 2019 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Power Plant

It's Official: Obama's Clean Power Plan Has Been Replaced by the Trump Administration

It took less than a year for the EPA to finalize the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which will allow older coal-burning plants to continue operating, in the Trump administration's most consequential environmental rollback accomplished to date.

June 21, 2019 - The New York Times

Compost Pile

Community Composting Network Launching in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia is seeking 25 locations around the city for composting facilities that will help the city achieve its goals of zero waste and litter.

June 20, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

New York State Capitol

New York Sets Ambitious, Net-Zero Climate Emissions Target

The state of New York's new Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is described by the New York Times as one of the most ambitious climate targets by any state legislature in the world.

June 20, 2019 - The New York Times

Proterra Electric Bus

Debating the Merits of Hydrogen and Batteries for Buses

To switch to fully electric bus fleets, transit agencies can invest in batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Both have their advantages.

June 19, 2019 - Governing

Lombard Street San Francisco

California to Study a Ban on Sales of Cars with Internal Combustion Engines

California Assemblyman Phil Ting has tried unsuccessfully for the last two years to end the sale of new gas and diesel-powered passenger motor vehicles by 2040. He achieved some success by securing funds in an approved budget bill to study a ban.

June 19, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Exurban Commute

California Looks North for a Climate Partner

California has been lonely for the last seven years as the only state that prices carbon emissions from most sources. Oregon is expected to decide this month whether to join them.

June 18, 2019 - CALmatters

Mountain Lion

Wild LA: An Excellent and Beautifully Illustrated Resource for L.A.’s Biodiversity

Los Angeled has plenty of urban wildlife, but people don’t usually associate the city with the term biodiversity. L.A. County park planner Clement Lau offers a book review on the a book on that subject, "Wild LA."

June 17, 2019 - UrbDeZine

Presidential Campaign

2020 Presidential Campaign: Media Coverage of Climate Strategies

Mayor Pete Buttigieg was criticized for supporting carbon capture and carbon taxes, while Vice President Biden was accused of lifting phrases about carbon capture from a "pro-industry" group. But did the media get these stories right?

June 17, 2019 - Common Dreams

Amazon HQ2

Report Details the Many Risks of Climate Change Facing Queens

The Regional Plan Association recently released a report targeting the climate risks associated with the older housing stock in Central Queens, New York City.

June 16, 2019 - QNS

Visitation Valley Greenway

A Route Through the City, S.F. Crosstown Trail Opens

After five years of planning, a San Francisco trail now runs across the city linking neighborhoods and greenspaces.

June 15, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

corn field in polk county iowa

Summertime Ethanol Restriction Lifted to Help Corn Farmers—But at What Cost?

President Trump made good on his promise last October to lift the E15 ban in time for the summer driving season. Not mentioned by the Des Moines Register are the downsides to allowing the higher ethanol blend to be sold during the summer, e.g., smog.

June 14, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Hanford Site

Hanford Nuclear Waste Cleanup Stalls Amid Legal Turmoil

A cleanup of nuclear weapons waste at Washington State's Hanford Site was first outlined in 1989. But now, as state officials wrangle with the federal government, deadlines set in 2016 may still not be met.

June 13, 2019 - The Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Bungalow Court

On the Massive Carbon Savings of Gentle Density

A thought experiment compares the carbon impact of three new single family homes with the same block if it contained a duplex, a triplex, and a fourplex.

June 13, 2019 - Sightline Institute

Atlanta Park

A Sustainability Plan for Georgia's Most Populous County

Fulton County, Georgia, home to Atlanta, adopted the "2019 Sustainability Plan + Resilience" earlier this month, focused on addressing the effects of climate change.

June 12, 2019 - SaportaReport

Flood

Corps of Engineers Faces Criticism for Flood Management

Recent heavy rains and flooding have put the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the defensive about its flood control policies and procedures.

June 10, 2019 - The New York Times

Michael Bloomberg Launches $500 Million 'Beyond Carbon' Campaign

The "War on Coal" is back, in the form of a new grassroots political campaign bankrolled by Bloomberg Philanthropies to decarbonize power generation by targeting existing coal power plants and halting the growth of natural gas replacements.

June 10, 2019 - The New York Times

Angeles National Forest

New National Monument in California Finally Has a Plan

The U.S. Forest Service has completed a management plan for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, and is ready to commence implementation.

June 8, 2019 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

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.