Environment
Carrying Capacity, Population Growth, and Urban Planning
Breakthrough Institute co-founder, Ted Nordhaus, explores the etymology of "carrying capacity" from a shipping term to a biological term, but objects to its application to human population. Richard Heinberg of the Post Carbon Institute responds.
SoCal Gas to Pay $119.5 Million for Aliso Canyon Gas Leak
The settlement closes another chapter in the saga of the methane leak that caused an evacuation of a corner of Los Angeles from October 2015 to February 2016.
California Protects its 15th Wild and Scenic River
Conservationists got a little help from some perhaps surprising sources in winning a designation for the Mokelumne River as the latest Wild and Scenic River in California.
Kentucky Needs $15 Billion in Additional Water Infrastructure
The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet has sounded an alarm about the state of the state's water infrastructure.
Why Are Mayors Fighting Trump's Fuel Economy Rollback?
State attorneys general and green groups are gearing up to fight the emissions rule rollback. Mayors would have a greater climate impact by helping their constituents drive less, argues Alissa Walker.
Anchorage Officials Take on Code Scofflaws After Decade of Inaction
Anchorage officials have started to take a more assertive effort toward the clean up of nuisance buildings and properties that have become magnets for crime and other problems. This is the first clean-up of this scope since 2007.
A Plan to Transform the Hoover Dam into Energy Storage
A proposal by the nation's largest utility could be a model to deal with the most formidable problem presented by intermittent renewable electricity sources.
Designing Houses to Survive Wildfires
Houses that aren't vulnerable to embers blowing in the wind, could save the government and homeowners millions.
'Move to Buffalo' Is No Excuse
One common argument against building new housing in high cost cities is that people priced out of those cities can always move somewhere cheaper. This post responds to that claim.
Trump Administration Proposes to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards at 2020 Level
On Thursday, the U.S. DOT and U.S. EPA announced one of the Trump administration's most consequential rollbacks of environmental and efficiency regulations that will have a detrimental effect on climate change, air pollution, and oil consumption.
Trump Golf Course Destroyed Protected Scottish Ecosystem
The president promised to protect the unique natural area when he received permission to develop a resort there.
Plug Pulled on Plans for the Largest Wind Farm in the U.S.
The planned Wind Catcher did not make it through the Texas Public Utility Commission.
Green Roofs Tax Incentive Isn't Working Because it's Poorly Targeted
New York City's Green Roof Property Tax Abatement Program has failed to take off, but if it were targeted toward the areas that need stormwater infrastructure and green spaces the most, it could be made too big to ignore.
Bay Area Businesses Launch Challenge to Fund Climate Resilience
A regional business association hopes to raise private funds for climate adaptation planning throughout California.
Trump Administration Clashes on Vehicle Emissions Standards Rollback
It's the U.S. EPA, under the new acting administrator, against two top officers in the Department of Transportation. Both agencies (along with California) determine fuel efficiency standards. Guess which wants to proceed cautiously in the rollback?
Washington, D.C. Leads the Nation in Green Roofs
The nation's capital has more square feet of green roofs than any other city in the country.
Rollback of a Different Kind, Ordered by the EPA, Will Benefit Air Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, acting at the behest of the new acting EPA administrator, will keep Obama-era regulation limiting air pollution from heavy trucks in place.
A Third Court Win for Children's Climate Change Lawsuit
Strike three for the federal government in trying to dismiss a lawsuit launched by 21 children in Oregon who sued the Obama administration in 2015, claiming the government was endangering their future because of its failure to reduce climate change.
The Greening of California's Republicans?
One finding from a new statewide survey, "Californians and the Environment," suggests that the environment is becoming a more bipartisan issue, but that finding is still subject to interpretation. What isn't is the top environmental issue: water.
U.S EPA Planning the Next Phase of Great Lakes Clean Up
Action Plan III will plot the next four years of work by the Great lakes Restoration Initiative.
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
