Environment
Florida Plagued by Sewage Spills
The state’s aging sewage infrastructure is failing, but the cost to replace it would be monumental.
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.
New Secretary Confirmed at the U.S. Department of the Interior
The politics of the Department of the Interior under the Trump administration aren't likely to change, but new Secretary David Bernhardt is distinguishable from his predecessor thanks to a long history of oil industry lobbying.
New York City to Reduce Truck Emissions by Investing in Freight Rail Infrastructure
The Big Apple may claim the nation's highest public transit ridership, but it ranks well below average in its use of freight rail. Two small short line railroads are at the center of a $100 million investment to reduce truck reliance.
Green New Deal Needs to Push for Better Transit Policies
The plan points to transit’s role in a cleaner and more sustainable future, but comprehensive changes in transportation policy are also needed.
Historic Drought Plan Approved by Congress
The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan will head to President Trump's desk for an expected signature before heading back to seven states for final ratification.
Rather Than Banning Cars, Amsterdam Reduces On-Street Parking
Amsterdam will pursue the Oslo model of targeting parking spots, rather than driving bans, to make for a walk-and-bike friendly city. On-street parking spaces will gradually be replaced, starting July 1, with bike lanes, sidewalks, and trees.
EPA Scientists Warn: Climate Change Will Cost the U.S. Hundreds of Billions a Year
Experts are calling a recent study published by researchers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the most thorough examination yet of the potential impacts of climate change on the U.S. economy.
Will Manhattan's "Central Business District Tolling" Clear the Way for More Congestion Pricing?
Cordon pricing applied to Manhattan's Central Business District, approved by the state legislature on March 31 and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 1, has the ability to be a game changer for other cities considering similar programs.
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.
Editorial Calls for Drastic Actions to Fix the Salton Sea
A Los Angeles Times editorial board sheds light on the ongoing environmental disaster of the Salton Sea in California, and the lack of action by the state to mitigate the worsening impacts.
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.
Las Vegas' Growth Tied to its Dwindling Water Supply
Las Vegas has almost maximized its growth potential given projects for its future water supply—something has to give.
The Consequences of Trump's Attempt to Reduce Bears Ears National Monument by 85 Percent
Drone footage and 3d models reveal the stakes in an ongoing legal controversy surrounding the Trump administration's attempt to undo the Obama administration's use of the Antiquities Act to create the Bears Ears National Monument.
An Illustrated Explanation of the Crisis in Recycling
A global shift in the market has upended the recycling industry. The story of recycling's past provides direction for the future.
Many of the Policies Proposed in Green New Deal Already in Place in States
The framework proposed by the authors of the Green New Deal may be too much for Congress, but many of these polices are already in place at the state level.
Looking Beyond FEMA Flood Maps, Cities Raise the Bar for Buildings in Floodplains
Cities across the country are developing floodplain construction standards that are more stringent than those required by FEMA.
Plug Pulled on the 100 Resilient Cities Program
The largest privately funded climate-adaptation program in the United States, 100 Resilient Cities, will conclude in July.
Coal Mining in Kentucky, but No Beat Reporters to Cover It
Environmental reporting has been one of the major casualties as newspapers downsize, particularly in places where the in-depth coverage is most needed.
Housing Crisis Derailing California's Climate Strategy
In a powerful opinion in The New York Times, state Senator Scott Wiener and UC Berkeley energy professor Daniel Kammen make the case that transportation emissions are rising in the Golden States because of the shortage of housing in coastal cities.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
