Environment

These Countries Have the Highest Rate of Pollution-Related Deaths
Pollution poses a significant public health threat all over the planet, and good planning can help.

A Land-Management Plan for Catholic Properties Around the World
One of the largest landowners in the world—historically known for creating maps of the Earth—the Church doesn't yet have a cohesive understanding of its global footprint.
Adapting Combined Sewer-Stormwater Systems to Climate Change
Only one coastal city has a sewer system that must handle stormwater as well as wastewater. San Francisco's efforts to adapt its combined sewer-stormwater system has put it on the vanguard of the city's climate adaptation efforts.

Three Congressional Bills Respond to Western Wildfires
Two GOP bills and one bipartisan Senate bill hope to reduce the wildfire risk in the West. The "Wildfires Management Act of 2017" is sponsored by the two Republican senators of Idaho and three of the four Democratic senators of Washington and Oregon.

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.
Pagination
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie