Environment

Keep it in the Ground – 2018

As climate hawks gather in San Francisco for the Global Climate Action Summit that convenes Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown, host of the summit, is dogged by critics who can't distinguish between oil production and consumption.

September 10, 2018 - CALmatters

Resilient Home

Post-Hurricane Affordable Housing in the Florida Keys

A land trust is providing much-needed affordable housing relief after last year’s Hurricane Irma.

September 9, 2018 - Next City

Jamaica Bay

New York to Update the OneNYC Resilience and Sustainability Plan

Introduced with fanfare in 2015, the OneNYC plan is ready for an update.

September 9, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

The Far-Reaching Consequences of Remaking the Mercury Emissions Rule

The EPA intends to review the rulemaking process behind the mercury rule, the subject of a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2015, to place more value on a rule's compliance cost to industry and less to its beneficial impact on human health.

September 9, 2018 - The New York Times

Electricity Meter

Kentucky Rejects 'Smart Meters' Proposal

It's back to the drawing board for utilities hoping to implement new electricity grid infrastructure.

September 7, 2018 - Insider Louisville

Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Which Cities Are Protected From Climate Change?

Put another way: Which cities will be more attractive to in-migration once the effects of climate change become more obvious.

September 7, 2018 - Business Insider

Oil Drill

Oil and Gas Drilling Issues Loom Large in Colorado on Election Day

Unlike prior initiatives that sought drilling bans, Prop. 112 would greatly increase setbacks from buildings to such an extent that it could doom much of the industry. A competing initiative would make the change a "taking" and require compensation.

September 6, 2018 - Colorado Public Radio

Freeways

Report: Transportation Emissions Sully California's Environmental Reputation

There's good and bad news from an annual assessment on the Golden State's economy and environment. Gross domestic product per capita increases as emissions per capita decrease, with the major exception of emissions from transportation.

September 6, 2018 - Bloomberg

San Francisco Ferry Building

San Francisco Wants Its Ambitious Zero-Waste Initiative to Go Global

In an effort to address climate change, San Francisco has a plan to get residents and businesses to do more than just recycle and compost.

September 5, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Harbor Beach Power Plant

Generating Thermal Energy Requires Water, Lots of It

Water is an important part of the thermal energy process – one that we may not think as much about.

September 5, 2018 - Quartz

Downtown Phoenix

How Cities in the 'Heat Belt' Are Addressing Extreme Heat, the New Normal

As the number of excessive heat days steadily increases, cities face a range of new challenges. But they are also trying to get ahead of the problem while they still can.

September 5, 2018 - The Washington Post

Desert Fountain

Legislative Attempt to Block Mojave Water Drilling Project Dies

A proposal to drill for water in the Mojave Desert will have an easier path to approval, after a bill requiring Additional environmental review of the project dies int he California State Senate.

September 4, 2018 - The Desert Sun

East Brother Light Station

Climate Change Hitting California Faster Than Scientists Expected

Extreme heat, rising seas, and other impacts of climate change are turning deadly faster than predicted, California officials warn.

September 3, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Sea-Level Rise

Not Refugees—Climate Change 'Pioneers'

A change of nomenclature shifts focus to the self-determination of residents relocating from the coast of Louisiana as rising seas inundate their homes.

September 2, 2018 - Common Edge

Electric Bus

Federal Transit Administration Awards $84.5 Million for Electric Buses

The Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program has awarded funding to encourage the "deployment of transit buses and infrastructure that use advanced propulsion technologies."

September 1, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

The Yards Park, in Washington, D.C.

Coming Soon to D.C.: Rivers Clean Enough for Swimming

A tremendous open space and recreation addition could be on the horizon for residents of Washington, D.C., but there's still work to do in cleaning the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.

August 30, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Wind farm and greenhouse gas farm, together

California May Join Hawaii With 100 Percent Renewable Energy by 2045

Senate Bill 100 by Sen. Kevin de León has one more hurdle to clear before it becomes law. While the state's greatest climate challenge isn't electricity generation, it will be helpful as more motorists turn toward electric vehicles.

August 30, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Tar Sands Oil Just Lost Another Outlet, For Now

It was viewed as a "David vs. Goliath" pipeline fight: the city of South Portland, Maine against a pipeline company backed by Big Oil. The city had passed a zoning ordinance preventing the export of oil which would have impacted public health.

August 29, 2018 - InsideClimate News

Bunker Fuel Exhaust

Cleaning-Up the World's Dirtiest Fuel by 2020

A 2016 rule approved by a specialized agency of the U.N. is forcing large ships that burn bunker oil, the dirtiest type of fuel, to either burn a more costly low-sulfur variety, apply scrubbers, or turn to LNG.

August 28, 2018 - The Wall Street Journal

Lake Powell

Arizona Revisits Plans for Withdrawing Water Reserves

Arizona has excelled at storing water in preparation for future droughts. The challenge now is how cities will access that water when they need it.

August 28, 2018 - Arizona Daily Star

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.