Environment

Midwest Flooding

Most Americans Unaware of Flood Risks, Study Finds

The lack of disclosure laws in most states has led to an overvaluation of homes located in floodplains across the country.

May 10, 2021 - Grist

Electric Cars

Bill Requiring Zero-Emissions Car Sales by 2035 Passes New York Legislature

The bill also calls for increased investment in charging infrastructure and financial incentives for consumers.

May 10, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

Bureau of Land Management

Can the U.S. Preserve 30 Percent of its Lands and Waters?

The Biden administration released its preliminary report on a plan to conserve 30 percent of the nation's lands and waters by 2030, one big, ambitious component of the administration's climate plans.

May 9, 2021 - The Washington Post

California Aqueduct

Southern California's Water Conservation and Storage Efforts Paying Off

The region has poured over a billion dollars into storage infrastructure and demand management policies in anticipation of worsening drought conditions.

May 7, 2021 - Bloomberg Green+CityLab

California

'Indirect Source Rule' Would Clean Up Warehouses in Southern California

Dr. Joe Lyou, CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, walks through the legal necessity of South Coast AQMD's proposed Indirect Source Rule, which aims to accelerate the transition to zero-emission technologies and fleet electrification.

May 6, 2021 - The Planning Report

Colorado River megadrought

How Arizona Is Preparing for the Coming Water Shortage

Arizona will lose one-fifth of its water allotment from the Colorado River in 2022 as cuts from the river's Drought Contingency Plan take effect.

May 5, 2021 - Arizona Republic

Dealer

Biden Administration Hits Automotive Emissions Reset Button

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rolled back Trump administration reductions of auto emission standards enacted by the Trump administration, and is taking first steps toward a new emissions agreement with automakers.

May 3, 2021 - The Washington Post

Los Angeles River

A Comment for the L.A. River Master Plan

Five themes proposed to achieve justice and sustainability for the Los Angeles River and its surrounding communities.

May 3, 2021 - Richard Dion

Florida Roads

Florida Highway Project Faces Opposition From All Sides

Critics worry the proposed 330-mile corridor would encourage sprawl, harm wildlife, and saddle the state with decades of debt.

May 2, 2021 - Grist

Oil field and houses in Signal Hill, California

Your Not-So-Friendly Neighborhood Oil Well

Much of California's oil and gas extraction takes place in residential neighborhoods, posing significant health risks to entire communities.

April 29, 2021 - Yale Environment 360

Colorado River

More Need Than Ever for Drought Resilience on the Colorado River

The effects of climate change are already cutting deeply into the lifeblood of the U.S. West—the Colorado River.

April 27, 2021 - Arizona Republic

Aerial view of Houston Ship Channel with container ships

Exxon Wants 'Financial Incentive' for $100 Billion Carbon Capture Hub

The company's proposed $100 billion carbon capture project would require a "large-scale" public-private partnership and could capture up to 100 million tons of carbon per year.

April 27, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Buffalo Bayou Park

Houston Residents Want to Build Pocket Parks on City-Owned Lots

In a park-poor neighborhood, vacant lots provide an untapped opportunity for small-scale parks.

April 26, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Kudzu vines growing abundantly in a field

Finding New Uses for the 'Vine That Ate the South'

Visually striking and aggressively invasive, kudzu has been choking the Southeast for decades. Now, designers, chefs, and activists want to find ways to make it useful.

April 25, 2021 - Southerly Magazine

Clean Energy

Biden Pledges Big Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

At the "Leaders Summit on Climate" today, President Joe Biden has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 50-52 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030.

April 22, 2021 - USA Today

New York City

Cities as a Climate Change Solution

With the urban exodus hysteria of the early pandemic in the rearview mirror, urban apologists are staking high ground on urban soil.

April 22, 2021 - Bloomberg Green+CityLab

Boston SUburbs

Opinion: Regional Growth Requires Regional Planning

To avoid the pitfalls of disconnected, car-centric suburbs, local governments must proactively plan for sustainable development in growing areas.

April 20, 2021 - CommonWealth Magazine

Bus Lane New York City

Opinion: Federal Infrastructure Plan Must Prioritize Transit Investment

The Biden administration must combine increased funding with policies that mandate and encourage transit-oriented planning.

April 20, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Vaccination

Light at the End of the Tunnel Reveals the Work to Come

The latest edition of an ongoing compendia of articles trying to make sense of the deep uncertainties of the pandemic—and what it all means for the future of cities.

April 20, 2021 - James Brasuell

Idaho

2021 Most Endangered Rivers List Highlights Environmental Justice

The annual list of endangered rivers created by American Rivers has always documented pollution and other threats like dam construction, but this year, the confluence of water and systemic racism warrants extra attention.

April 19, 2021 - American Rivers

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.