Environment

Agriculture

There Are Some Major Irrigation Problems We Need to Talk About

We can all do better when it comes to water.

August 8, 2017 - Kayla Matthews

Natural Gas

Appeals Court Deals Second Setback to Trump Administration on Methane Regulation

Another unpleasant reminder for the Trump Administration that there are three equal branches of government: A federal appeals court ruled 9-2 that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt must enforce a rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas wells.

August 7, 2017 - CNN Politics

City Hall

Impacts of AVs and E-Commerce on Municipal Budgets

A new report from Urbanism Next/SCI takes you through a city’s budget—both revenues and expenditures—and describes the areas that will be affected as AVs become commonplace and e-commerce takes on an even larger role in retail

August 4, 2017 - Urbanism Next

Desert Fountain

Water Controversy in the Palm Springs Desert

The city of Los Angeles is weighing in on a proposal to pump groundwater from the desert near Palm Springs.

August 3, 2017 - The Desert Sun

Fort McMurray Fire

What Goes Together? Sprawl and Destructive Wildfires

Wildfires tend to start at the Wildland-Urban Interface: those border zones between cities and the open land surrounding them. Keeping the lid on sprawl, it can be argued, would tame the inferno.

August 3, 2017 - Wired

Chevy Bolt

Are Reports Predicting a Future of Electric Vehicles Exaggerated?

David Yager, an oil industry consultant, writes that recent reports predicting electric vehicles will eventually outsell those with internal combustion engines are vastly exaggerated, notwithstanding national bans on future sales of such cars.

August 3, 2017 - Business Insider

Electric Cars

Electrifying California: Volkswagen Settlement Approved

The biggest obstacle to the adoption of electric vehicles in California, a shortage of charging infrastructure, just became a lot more manageable thanks to $200 million from Volkswagen stemming the from the dieselgate settlement.

August 2, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

Housing Density a Missing Link for Emissions Reductions in California

Emissions from electricity generation are decreasing while those from transportation are increasing. If communities don't increase housing density to change travel patterns, it will only get worse, but the challenges may be insurmountable.

July 31, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Tailpipe

Another Nail in the Coffin of the Internal Combustion Engine?

Is the movement away from gasoline and diesel-powered cars unstoppable? In response to air pollution litigation, the British government announced on July 26 that sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles would be banned by 2040.

July 31, 2017 - The New York Times

Metro Rapid Bus

Los Angeles Metro Takes Initial Step Toward Conversion to Electric Buses by 2030

The board of L.A. Metro voted Thursday to spend $138 million to purchase 95 electric buses plus chargers and wiring upgrades for two transit lines that now use natural gas buses, and approved a motion to convert all buses to battery-electrics by 2030

July 30, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Autonomous Vehicles and Streets: A Guide to Potential Impacts

As the arrival of autonomous vehicles (AVs) becomes more of a reality, cities need to start considering how this new technology will affect streets and street networks. This brief guide provides an overview and resources on this topic.

July 29, 2017 - Urbanism Next Blog - Sustainable Cities Initiative

Aggregate

Last Coastal Sand Mine in the U.S. to Shut Down

A sand mine that has been operating since the very beginning of the 20th century has finally been shut down by California regulators. The site of the facility will be returned to more natural conditions.

July 28, 2017 - The Mercury News

Urban Solar Power

A Toolkit for Reaching 100 Percent Renewable

The Global 100% Renewable Energy campaign is one voice encouraging cities to adopt entirely renewable sources of energy. It recommends decentralized energy systems like rooftop solar.

July 28, 2017 - Citiscope

California's Business-Friendly, Bipartisan Approach to Climate Change

Gov. Jerry Brown, accompanied by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, signed legislation to continue the cap-and-trade program initially authorized under a bill signed by his Republican predecessor 11 years ago at the same Treasure Island location.

July 27, 2017 - KQED News

Bhaji Bazaar

Education and Nutrition Flourish Together

"A hungry world is not a just world," says one of the local residents quoted in this story about a community garden in Denver.

July 26, 2017 - The Denver Post

Environmental Protection Agency

How Long Will the Office of Environmental Justice Last in Trump's EPA?

Does environmental justice need its own office to help vulnerable populations impacted by pollution, or can all divisions within the EPA address the issue? The Office of Environmental Justice, established in 1993, may be shut down.

July 26, 2017 - ProPublica

Marine Sanctuaries Not Safe From Drilling

As it has already done with public lands, the Trump Administration is studying how to roll back environmental protections for the sake of the oil and gas industries. This time, marine sanctuaries are the administration's target.

July 26, 2017 - KQED

National Parks Service

Congress Confirms a Controversial Number Two at the Department of the Interior

The confirmation of David Bernhardt as Deputy Secretary of the Interior has upset environmentalists and advocates for public land.

July 25, 2017 - The Washington Post

Gov. Jerry Brown's High-Speed Gamble

To secure needed votes to pass a vital cap-and-trade bill, Brown made a deal with California's Republican lawmakers that could cost him his legacy infrastructure project—the high-speed train from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

July 25, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Caltrain Electrification Broke Ground on Friday

Gov. Jerry Brown, Peninsula congresswomen, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and state legislative leaders gathered in Millbrae with shovels-in hands to mark the beginning of a four-year construction project to electrify Caltrain.

July 24, 2017 - The Daily Journal

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.