Environment

Southwest Oregon

Surprise: Department of Justice Fights for an Expanded National Monument in Oregon

The U.S. Department of Justice is fighting a lawsuit that would overturn a decision by the Obama Administration to expand the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon.

July 27, 2018 - The Oregonian

Water Storage

California Awards $2.7 Billion to Water Storage Facilities

The California Water Commission made an historic commitment to new water storage projects. Many of the largest projects planned in the state will require additional funding before construction can commence.

July 27, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Yosemite Smoke

A Map of 'Smoke Events' Around the World

Fire season is back, and it's not safe to breathe in huge swaths of the world.

July 27, 2018 - The Mercury News

Louisiana Flooding

30 Years of Climate Change Proof

It's been 30 years since James Hansen told Congress about global warming. We might call it climate change these days, but Hansen was right.

July 26, 2018 - Associated Press via The Mercury News

Urban Sprawl

Carbon Offsets for Suburban Developments? The Courts Could Decide

The county of San Diego wants sprawling suburban developments to buy carbon offsets, billing the idea as a fix to the region's housing affordability crisis.

July 26, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Pumping Gas

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court

A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

July 25, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Bike Parking

Reducing Cities' Carbon Footprints

There is more than one way for a city to systematically reduce it carbon footprint.

July 25, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Tells All City Departments to Prepare for Sea Level Rise

The city of Honolulu has decided to treat sea level rise as an urgent matter, requiring all the resources of the city.

July 24, 2018 - Hawaii New Now

California Water

Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake

With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.

July 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Flint

Welcome to 'Peak Water'

Water managers all over the country are bracing for expected water shortages.

July 22, 2018 - The Hill

Lehigh River

Environmental Justice Area Expanded to Cover a Third of Pennsylvania's Population

More residents in the state will be protected by environmental regulations enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

July 21, 2018 - State Impact

San Francisco Skyline

California Achieved its Climate Goal; Now the Hard Part Begins

New York Times climate reporter, Brad Plumer, comments on California's landmark accomplishment in reducing emissions, observing that with the low-hanging electricity generation fruit picked, reducing transportation emissions will prove formidable.

July 20, 2018 - The New York Times

Aqueduct

Voters to Decide on Repair of Vital Aqueduct for San Joaquin Valley

California voters in November will have the opportunity to help repair the Friant-Kern Canal, damaged by subsidence, as well as invest in watershed conservation programs, by passing a citizen-initiated $8.9 billion general obligation bond measure.

July 19, 2018 - The Sacramento Bee

Septic Tank

'Not In Our Backyard': Septic to Compost Conversion Plan Hits Local Opposition Snag

A proposal for a facility that converts septic waste to compost will have to find another home, after a decision in Linn County, Iowa.

July 18, 2018 - The Gazette

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Renewable Goals: Set the Bar Low or Shoot for Stars?

A columnist says Pittsburgh's goal to run its government entirely on renewable energy by 2030 is like Trump's Wall: Not gonna happen.

July 17, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Governors Island

New York City Reports Progress on Sustainable Development Goals to the U.N.

New York is the first city in the world to report to the U.N. on SDGs in the arenas of clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and land conservation.

July 17, 2018 - CityLab

Stormwater Infrastructure

How to Keep Billions of Gallons of Sewage Out of a Waterway

The Anacostia River Tunnel is just one component of DC Water's Clean River Project, but it's already making a huge difference.

July 16, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Oil

5 Industries That Made the Most of Pruitt While He Lasted

Umair Irfan provides a post-mortem, of sorts, on the tenure of Scott Pruitt at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

July 16, 2018 - Vox

Express Lanes

Los Angeles Express Lane Revenue to Fund Electric Double-Decker Buses

Solo drivers who paid a variable toll to use the 10 and 110 freeways in Los Angeles provided $1.4 million to assist in the purchase of the nation's first electric double-decker buses, to be operated by Foothill Transit

July 16, 2018 - CityLab

Folsom Car Culture

Study: Air Pollution From Cars and Trucks Causes Diabetes

A new study builds an even stronger case for setting pollution controls at PM 2.5 to prevent increased risk of diabetes. The EPA's clean air regulations set a threshold much less restrictive than that level.

July 15, 2018 - The Atlantic

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.