Fossil Fuels

Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline

The Biden Administration's Ambiguous Position on Drilling in Alaska

The administration's support of a Conoco-Phillips project is at odds with its suspension of Trump-era oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

June 23, 2021 - WBUR

Solar Power

Louisiana Legislature Moves to Slow Solar Development

The proposed bill and house resolution would create stricter rules for solar leases and make solar projects ineligible for a commonly used tax exemption.

June 8, 2021 - Louisiana Illuminator

Electric Car Charging Station

U.S. Automakers Have Been Undermining Climate Science Since the 1960s, Investigation Reveals

It's been 50 years since researchers at General Motors and Ford Motor Co. warned the automakers about the effects of auto emissions on the planet's climate.

October 29, 2020 - E&E News

Electric Car Charging

2020 Energy Infrastructure Predictions

Planners can expect changes in the energy industry to influence preparations for the future of cities and communities.

February 9, 2020 - Kayla Matthews

ng1_3717

New Jersey Has a Plan to Shift to Clean Energy, but Questions Remain

The state’s energy plan focuses on the move to renewable energy, but specifics about how that will happen and what the costs will be need to be pinned down.

January 16, 2020 - NJ Spotlight

Donald Trump

Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines

The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.

April 15, 2019 - InsideClimate News

Youth Protest

The Climate Change Lawsuit That Won't Go Away

The now-famous children's lawsuit, featured on 60 Minutes last Sunday, was not filed against President Trump—he just inherited it from his predecessor. Both administrations have tried to have the case dismissed.

March 6, 2019 - CBS News: 60 Minutes

Dockweiler State Beach

L.A. Collects Green Bonafides By Canceling Plans for Natural Gas Power

The bell tolls for the Scattergood, Harbor, and Haynes power plants, after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti promises a transition to renewable energy. The city was going to spend $5 billion to transition to natural gas.

February 15, 2019 - Los Angeles Daily News

Capitol

Transportation Priorities of the New Democratic Leadership in the House

With Democrats rising to power in the U.S. House of Representatives and the government recently reopened (temporarily at least), it's time to plot the legislative ambitions of the coming session in Congress.

January 30, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Oil Drills

West Texas Drilling Boom Bodes Ill for Residents, the Planet

Driven by foreign demand, a surge in West Texas oil production is having adverse effects on the local populace, and contributes to climate change at a crucial moment.

October 13, 2018 - The Texas 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

Pipeline Politics Ruffle NATO Summit

At the NATO Summit in Brussels last Wednesday, President Trump charged that Germany was captive to Russia because of its dependence on Russian natural gas, and a new, controversial pipeline from Russia to Germany will exacerbate its dependency.

July 15, 2018 - The Washington Post

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Big Oil Wins Climate Change Lawsuits

The courts are no place to be deciding on the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change, ruled a Northern California federal district court judge in a "stinging defeat" to San Francisco and Oakland that wanted Big Oil to pay mitigation costs.

June 28, 2018 - The New York Times

San Francisco Bay

Battle of the Bay: S.F. and Oakland Sue Oil Companies Over Sea Level Rise

Two California cities are going after oil companies with a legal argument that recalls the legislation against big tobacco companies in the 1990s.

September 22, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Oil Drills

Global Subsidies for Fossil Fuels: $5 Trillion a Year

A new study from researchers at the International Monetary Fund finds the cost of doing fossil fuel business.

August 15, 2017 - The Guardian

California Big Sur

California Counties, City Sue Fossil Fuel Industry Over Sea Level Rise

Faced with "mounting costs" due to the impacts of climate change, a collection of coastal communities in California have taken legal action against the fossil fuel industry.

July 23, 2017 - Associated Press via KPCC

Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline

The Geography of Oil and Gas Pipeline Accidents [Updated]

Safety is one trigger in the heated debate over whether fossil fuels should be transported by pipeline. While the industry insists the method is safer than others, the spread of accidents since 1986 is substantial.

December 8, 2016 - CityLab

Beijing Skyline

Peak Coal: China's Carbon Emissions Drop as the Use of Coal Slows

In the long struggle to reduce the impacts of climate change, we may have finally hit a positive milestone, as China's use of coal peaked in 2014.

August 10, 2016 - The Guardian

Texas Suburb

Op-Ed: The Texas Miracle Won't Last

As economic migration continues to swell its population, Texas has been heralded by some as a new California. But Johnny Sanphillippo argues that the Lone Star State's boom just isn't sustainable.

June 22, 2016 - Strong Towns

Oil

Interior Department Secretary Jumps Into Fossil Fuel Debate

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell expressed a surprisingly pro-industry viewpoint in response to the growing "keep it in the ground" environmental movement.

May 9, 2016 - The Desert Sun

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.