Environment

West Houston Floodplain

800 New Homes Approved for Houston's Floodplain

The city of Houston approved a new development that doesn't meet new elevations standards approved by the city of Houston earlier this month.

April 26, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

Balicasag Island, Philippines

Can 'Ocean Cities' Become the Societies of the Future?

Futuristic, eco-friendly cities can be greener and more eco-friendly, thanks to better use of natural resources.

April 25, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Northern California

A New Wave of Reservoir Construction Set to Begin in California

Two massive water storage projects have been awarded $2.6 billion in funding from Proposition 1.

April 25, 2018 - The Sacramento Bee

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

California Has 8 of the 10 Most Polluted Cities in the U.S.

Despite ever-stricter air-quality regulations and dropping emissions, the American Lung Association once again finds the state to have some of the worst air in the nation.

April 24, 2018 - USA Today

Open Space

'Unprecedented' Sale of Public Land Concerns 'Even Some Republicans'

As the Department of the Interior auctions off 'vast swaths' of American wilderness to oil and gas companies, fiscal conservatives and conservationists alike wonder if it’s the right thing at the right time.

April 24, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

Sonny Perdue

Under Zinke, Land in Montana Is Still Somehow Protected

Though he’s opened land all over the U.S. to industry, the Interior Secretary is actually pushing to conserve even more of his home state.

April 24, 2018 - The New York Times

San Francisco Bay

How SB 827 'Cleaved the California Environmental Movement'

Even before the bill was defeated, it exposed a major generational divide between anti-development environmentalists and their pro-density, pro-housing heirs.

April 23, 2018 - San Francisco Magazine

Coastal Flooding

Study: Climate Change Concerns Taking a Toll on Home Values in Miami

Ordinary homeowners are beginning to factor climate change into the home-buying decisions in Miami.

April 23, 2018 - The Wall Street Journal

Transportation Network Company

Lyft Aiming for Carbon Neutrality

Lyft has announced a plan to offset carbon emissions generated by its rides.

April 20, 2018 - The Atlantic

Massachusetts

Could Boston Join Seattle in Proposing Congestion Pricing?

The compelling reason behind Boston's looking at congestion pricing is traffic congestion, unlike Seattle where it is being viewed as a major way to reduce greenhouse gas reductions and fund public transit.

April 19, 2018 - IBTTA Tolling Points

South Fork of the Skykomish River

Controversial Hydropower Proposal Scuttled in Washington

A victory for environmental conservationists.

April 18, 2018 - knkx

Coal Extraction

New Evidence of Coal's Evolving Place in the Economy

Contura Energy paid Blackjewel Inc. $21 million to take ownership of the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr coal mines in Wyoming.

April 14, 2018 - Casper Star-Tribune

Yosemite

Friday Eye Candy: Watch Yosemite's Streams Overflow

Mandatory evacuations were in order, so there was no threat to the general pubic. Witness the fury of mother nature from a safe distance.

April 13, 2018 - The Washington Post

Security cameras on a building

How Surveillance in Cities is Evolving

Across the globe, smart cities are increasingly procuring and implementing information technology in order to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban spaces. The former CTO of L.A. and the mayor of Beverly Hills weigh in on the subject.

April 13, 2018 - The Planning Report

Methane

New Research Directly Measures Methane's Increasing Greenhouse Effect

According to to a recent study, methane gas produces a much larger greenhouse effect than previously thought. Planners can act to limit the environmental impact of methane.

April 13, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Condos Smart Growth

Squaring Urbanism, Equity, and Density in the SB 827 Debate

As Sen. Wiener has announced new amendments to the controversial land use, transit-oriented development, and real estate bill, The Planning Report turns to three experts to unpack the legislation's consequences.

April 12, 2018 - The Planning Report

Jersey Shore

Rising Seas Could Submerge Much of Jersey Shore by 2100

The doomsday scenario for sea-level rise in New Jersey is worse than that of almost any other state.

April 12, 2018 - USA Today

Coast Stream

Stream Restoration Projects More Likely in Whiter, Wealthier Areas

Stream restoration projects along the Central Coast of California tend to reinforce class and racial distinctions, just like so many other matters of environmental justice.

April 11, 2018 - UC Santa Cruz

Big Bend National Park

2018's Most Endangered Rivers

The American Rivers advocacy organization this week released their annual list of most endangered rivers in the United States.

April 11, 2018 - American Rivers

Desert Farm

Trump Administration Would Slash 22 Percent of Farm Bill's Conservation Funding

The Farm Bill is one of the federal government's biggest, most controversial (yet still intractable) bills. The Trump Administration has plans for change.

April 10, 2018 - Crosscut

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.