Environment
High Bacteria Levels Require a New Approach to Los Angeles River Recreation
The city of Los Angeles created a new plan to notify the public about high levels of E.coli in the Los Angeles River after kayakers were exposed to E.coli earlier this fall.
New York's Post-Sandy Resilience Plans Have Lost Momentum
New York, like every other city in the United States, isn't more prepared for a major storm event than it was on October 29, 2012.
HUD Cuts Red Tape to Support Hurricane Recovery
Administrative changes announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will impact programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships programs.
Who Uses the Water in Lake Michigan?
A new series from the Chicago Tribune explores the Midwest's complicated relationship with Lake Michigan.
The High Cost of Burying Power Lines
With speculation that downed power lines and exploding transformers may have caused California's most deadly and destructive wildfires, many question why utility companies don't bury these lines through fire-prone areas.
Interior Department Wants to Hike National Park Entrance Fees
Two years after increasing entrance fees at national parks, The U.S. Department of the Interior wants to raise daily vehicle entrance fees at the nation's most popular parks to $70.
EPA Launches Long-Awaited Cleanup of Gowanus Canal
Gowanus Creek was channelized in the 1800s and has been accumulating sludge ever since.
Future Floods May Test Tokyo's Defenses
Despite the presence of a formidable (and expensive) underground flood control system, Tokyo may confront floods and rainfall that will challenge the city's capacity to protect itself.
Wine Country Wildfires Put Spotlight on Transmission Lines
No cause has yet been attributed to California's deadliest wildfires, but the connections to fallen power lines and exploding transformers, maintained by PG&E, have been exposed in a series of reports by the Bay Area News Group.
Progress on a Moonshot: Direct-Air Capture of CO2
Long considered unfeasible, direct-air capture of carbon dioxide has been achieved by a set of entrepreneurs. Scaled up, the expensive technology could slow climate change.
Spawning Salmon Are Changing the Natural Environment
In the course of spawning, salmon are uplifting sediment and changing the course of watersheds.
California to Implement Wood Smoke Reduction Program
The program is voluntary, providing incentives to replace older, uncertified wood stoves for cleaner replacements or alternatives. In addition to decreasing air pollution, it reduces emissions of a "super climate pollutant," black carbon.
Spokane Voters to Decide Whether to Regulate Oil and Coal Trains
Proposition 2, the Safer Spokane Initiative, would require railroads to reduce health and safety risks posed by certain types of oil and coal trains traveling through specified parts of the city or risk being fined.
Study: Pollution Kills 9 Million People Every Year
The Lancet Commission study comes at a time when the Trump Administration is rolling back environmental regulations from a number of sectors.
Massive Newhall Ranch Deal Will Expand L.A. County's Footprint
FivePoint Holdings will pay $25 million for environmental preservation, in exchange for access to the undeveloped L.A. County land.
Integrating Environmental Justice Into Planning Processes
National City, California pioneered a model for implementing environmental justice considerations into planning processes—state law compels states to follow National City's leadership.
Friday Eye Candy: Mapping a World of Water Words
Cultures and geography have created a dictionary's worth of words for water. A new video from Vox maps (most of) them out.
Wildfire Destroys Santa Rosa Neighborhood Outside of Fire Hazard Zone
The Wine Country wildfires destroyed Coffey Park, a subdivision within the urban boundaries of the Bay Area's fifth largest city, and outside of the state's severe fire hazard zones. But the cause wasn't a mystery to wildland fire scientists.
Chicago to Use Vacant Lots to Capture Stormwater
Chicago's Planning Department is putting eight city lots to work as "Stormwater Parks."
The Cost of a Well-Maintained Urban Tree Canopy Is Actually Pretty Cheap
In terms of its public health benefits, a flourishing tree canopy is practically priceless.
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
