Environment

NOAA Satellite Fires

View the Smoke from the California Fires From Satellite

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been making the most of its celestial perch to illustrate the scale of the fires currently burning in Southern California.

December 8, 2017 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Blow-Up Bulwark

Climate change is real, and happening now — but exactly what that means for coastal cities is surprisingly uncertain. Engineers at Princeton’s Form Finding Lab choose flexibility over fortification to protect coastal cities from flooding.

December 8, 2017 - Urban Omnibus

Little Tokyo

The Final Days of 'Level of Service' in California's Environmental Review Process

A long-awaited draft update of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has finally been released, and Level of Service will finally be a thing of the past in the next two to four years.

December 7, 2017 - Streetsblog California

Suburban Neighborhood

'Infinite Suburbia' Upends Everything We Know About Suburbia

Joel Kotkin and Alan M. Berger discuss their new book, which analyses what the suburbs are and will become, in both the United States and around the world.

December 7, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Cincinnati Switching to 100% Renewable Energy for Municipal Facilities

Almost all of Cincinnati's police and fire stations, health clinics, recreation centers, and administrative buildings will run on renewable energy.

December 6, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

Washington Water Storage

House Bill Would Streamline Construction of New Dams and Reservoirs

House Republicans from Washington are hoping to cut red tape for the development of surface storage facilities as the American West grapples with intensifying droughts.

December 6, 2017 - Crosscut

Bike Commute

Can a Bike Commute Cause More Harm Than Good?

Researchers at Columbia University are investigating pollution intake among cyclists to determine if cycling really is a healthy way to commute.

December 5, 2017 - Doggerel

National Monuments

Trump to Drastically Reduce Two National Monuments in Utah

The controversy regarding the federal protection of public lands in the American west is heading into new territory as President Trump tests the limits of presidential powers.

December 4, 2017 - The Washington Post

Redevelopment

Authorization of Federal Bronwnfields Program Moves Forward in Congress

The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 3017 last week, which would extend the U.S. EPA brownfields through 2022.

December 4, 2017 - Smart Growth America

Ohio River

Louisville's Tree-Protection Plan in Final Revisions

Faced with a costly urban heat island effect, Louisville is working on a new tree-protection ordinance that could be headed for a vote this week.

December 4, 2017 - Courier-Journal

Greener Gasoline to Come from Solar-Powered Oil Wells in California

Crude oil from Kern County's Belridge field will soon have a much lower life cycle carbon intensity thanks to new solar technology used to extract hard-to-get oil. The renewal of California's carbon cap-and-trade market made it possible.

December 4, 2017 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

The High Cost of Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging

There's nothing like the convenience of charging one's electric vehicle at home, assuming you have a garage, driveway, or your apartment building has a charger. California cities and utilities are working to increase EV infrastructure on all fronts.

December 3, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Ohio River

Army Corps: Climate Change Could Devastate Ohio River Region

The agency's report shows that inland-dwellers are just as likely as coastal types to be deeply affected by climate change.

December 2, 2017 - The Courier-Journal

Seattle Gasworks Park

Explained: The Greenprint Approach to Park Planning

An article on Governing aims to spread the word about the Greenprint Resource Hub.

December 2, 2017 - Governing

Commuter Rail

Caltrain Electrification Can't Come Soon Enough for Neighbors

Transit adjacent developments have their downsides when the transit is a diesel-powered commuter train, and the location is a stub-end terminal. Case in point: San Francisco's Mission Bay.

December 1, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Archaeological SIte

Researchers Warn Historic Sites Could Be Washed Away By Rising Seas

Researchers have created a digital database of archaeological sites in the U.S.—and thousands could be lost to sea-level rise.

December 1, 2017 - Pacific Standard

Carpool Lane Sticker

Southern California Air Quality Paradox: Air Quality Worsens While Emissions Drop

Ozone pollution is worsening in five counties in Southern California, and the Air Quality Management District doesn't know why.

November 30, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Wildfire

Wildfires Prompt Forestry Debate on Climate Change

While forests sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide, wildfires release enormous amounts of greenhouse gases as they increase in frequency and intensity from climate change.

November 29, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Palm Springs

San Diego Explores its Options for Getting to 100 Percent Renewable Energy

San Diego's Climate Action Plan has set an ambitious goal for renewable energy, and now the investor-owned utility San Diego Gas & Electric is competing for a chance to deliver on those goals.

November 29, 2017 - San Diego Union Tribune

Fargo, North Dakota

Minnesota Offers Models for Stormwater Management

Reflecting its reputation as the land of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota's highly developed water management infrastructure can be instructive for states facing frequent floods.

November 29, 2017 - Brookings

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.