Environment
Houston-Area Floodplain Regulations to Expand from 100-Year to 500-Year Levels
Harris County, home to Houston and the scene of widespread devastation during Hurricane Harvey and other weather events, will make large-scale changes to development regulations on floodplains for the first time in almost 20 years.
What One Oil Pipeline Spill Every Day Looks Like on a Map
The recent spill of 210,000 gallons of crude oil from the Keystone pipeline in South Dakota was far from an outlier.
'Community Supported Kitchen' Idea Seeking Support in Portland
A crowdfunding campaign recently launched to support a new kind of commissary kitchen in Portland.
11 States Launch Resistance to National Park Fee Changes
Eleven attorneys general have sent a letter, and a warning, to the Trump Administration: we'll battle new entrance fees in court if we have to.
Boulder Buying More Open Space
Boulder is expanding the portfolio of the city's Open Space and Mountain Parks.
Environmental Impact Bonds Change the Funding Game for Green Infrastructure
The Rockefeller Foundations EIB Challenge is putting a spotlight on an innovative new funding mechanism.
Nebraska Commission Authorizes Keystone XL Pipeline, But With a Major Twist
TransCanada got its second wish. Last March, President Trump reversed President Obama's rejection of the 1,136-mile pipeline to carry Alberta oil sands crude. On Monday, the Nebraska Public Service Commission OK'd a route, but not the one it wanted.
Host Nation Reveals Embarrassment as Climate Talks End
It's not so easy weaning itself from dirty coal power, one reason why Germany likely won't meet its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction targets. But they will have plenty of company, though all targets are voluntary.
Oregon's New Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Litigated
The half-cent sales tax will fund new rebate programs for zero and near zero-emissions vehicles and multimodal transportation. Opponents claim the privilege tax, as it is called, violates the state constitution because revenues aren't used for roads.
Tesla's 'Badass' Electric Semi Beats Diesel and Rail, Says Elon Musk
Tesla introduces a high-performance, totally electric, semi-autonomous truck that that can haul 80,000 of freight for 500 miles without recharging.
Op-Ed: Washington's State Environmental Policy Act 'Off the Rails' in Cities
Drawing on a slew of examples, Dan Bertolet argues that Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) has been co-opted in ways that run against its original purpose: protecting the environment.
Keystone Pipeline Leaks Oil in Advance of Crucial Decision on Sister Pipeline
Thursday's massive oil spill in South Dakota is not a good omen for TransCanada for a favorable decision on Monday on an application before the Nebraska Public Service Commission on the routing of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Offshore Wind Lands on Lake Erie
By 2019, a multi-million dollar project developed by a former "big energy" guy might make Cleveland the new U.S. leader in renewable energy.
It's Now Safe to Link Hurricane Precipitation and Climate Change
A new study from MIT makes a clear connection between the intensity of rainfall caused by Hurricane Harvey last August in Texas and climate change, concluding that the likelihood of stronger downpours is greatly increasing.
China's Climate Change Paradox
President Xi Jinping wants China to replace the U.S. as the world's leader in fighting climate change, yet emissions from China are projected to increase at a higher rate than any other major emitter, according to the Global Carbon Project.
Challenges in Rebuilding Houston Extend Beyond Development
Michael Kimmelman, architecture critic of The New York Times, looks beyond sprawl and development issues that challenge Houston in its rebuilding efforts. An anti-urban, anti-regulation bias from the statehouse isn't helping matters.
The First Year-Round UPS Bike Delivery Route Arrives in Pittsburgh
The electric bicycles appeared in Portland last year, but Pittsburgh will get the company's first dedicated non-truck delivery route.
Could Autonomous Vehicles Save Lives in Disasters?
Autonomous vehicles could provide life-saving assistance in the event of a large-scale evacuation, if a shared fleet of autonomous vehicles is built with this purpose in mind.
Smog So Bad United Airlines Won't Fly There
It's not the poor visibility but the air quality, ten times worse than Beijing, that has caused the airline to stop flying to New Delhi.
Gubernatorial Elections Have Environmental Consequences
A movement initiated by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) to join the East Coast carbon cap-and-trade program has accelerated with the election of his Democratic lieutenant governor, Ralph Northam, as governor. Similar news is expected from New Jersey.
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
