Environment
California Fracking Moratorium Bill Dies; Proponents Vow to Press On
A high profile bill championed by California's environmental community that would have placed a moratorium on fracking and other well stimulation treatment and would have allowed more local control failed to get off the Senate floor on May 29 and 30.
Debate Intensifies Before EPA Releases New Rules for Power Plants
Both sides are coming out swinging, days before President Obama and EPA Administrator McCarthy release a long-awaited power plant rule on Monday. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a new report concluding the rule would cost $50 billion annually.
Does Beauty Still Matter?
The design of urban landscapes has become dominated by a growing call for them to be ecologically resilient. But isn't it important what they look like?
How Green is My Neighborhood? Let Me Count the Ways
Neighborhood-scale sustainable development is flourishing, as are tools for assessing and certifying the triple bottom line of projects. Ten neighborhood rating tools are reviewed for their best fit for planners, developers, and communities.
Louisiana Lawmakers Facing Legal Drama Over Shrinking Coasts
Can Louisiana lawmakers succeed in retroactively overthrowing a lawsuit by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority against 97 oil and gas companies, all while the state's coastline continues to disappear at alarming rates?
New Research: Social Vulnerability Significantly Predicted Storm Damage from Hurricane Ike
Wesley E. Highfield, Walter Gillis Peacock, and Shannon Van Zandt from Texas A&M examine the damage after Hurricane Ike and its relationship to social vulnerability (Available via Open Access, http://goo.gl/K) in a new JPER article.
EPA to Release 'Cornerstone' of President's Climate Initiative
On June 2, one of the most important and far-reaching programs to reduce carbon emissions will be unveiled by the EPA: a rule to require reduction of carbon emissions from existing power plants using a number of options, including cap and trade.
Deep Flaws Found in California's Water Use Reporting
The special status of "senior rights holders" among California water interests is well documented. Not as well documented is the system which allows errors in water use reports to protect the interests of a fortunate few.
First Responders Not Prepared for Oil Train Explosions Despite Emergency Order
Notwithstanding an emergency order DOT issued on May 7 that railroads must provide cities oil train information, secrecy continues to cloak the transport of hazardous oil shipments leaving first responders ill-prepared to handle fiery explosions.
An Electric Car the CEO Doesn't Want You to Buy
Please, don't buy the Fiat 500 E, stated Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne during his presentation on a Brookings panel on May 20. It's not because it's a bad car—it's because his company loses $14,000 on every sale.
Congress' Head-in-the-Sand Approach to Fire Management
The way Congress has appropriated funds for the prevention of forest fires, and fighting forest fires when they occur, guarantees that they will become more costly and dangerous in the future.
Think Lead Was Removed from Fuel? Think Again!
Leaded gasoline is still sold in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Myanmar, North Korea, and Yemen. Most think that the brain-damaging additive was banned in the U.S in 1995, but not for 167,000 piston-engined aircraft that use leaded aviation fuel.
Kerfluffle Over Green Building Rating Systems
The latest dust up over green building rating systems, especially their efficacy relative to each other, highlights the danger of mixing the ideals of environmentalism with the self-interest of running an environmentalist organization.
The Cambridge Tree Map Provides Data on Blossoms and Pollen
"What does a city look like drawn in trees?" Cambridge, Massachusetts recently released an exhaustive database of all the trees on public property around the city.
Texas Outpaces California in Promoting Alternative-Fuel Vehicles
In the state of Big Oil, all types of electric cars, propane, and natural gas fueled vehicles qualify for a $2,500 cash incentive, thanks to a bill passed last year that broadens the current alternative-fueled truck program to light duty vehicles.
Half the Country Now Facing Drought
On the flip-side of the polar vortex in the climate news department, drought conditions are worsening across the country. In much of the West, the drought means water supply challenges and a growing threat of fire.
A Political Victory to Protect Wild Coastal Land
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky discusses how the approval of new plans will preserve a stretch of unincorporated Southern California coastline.
Minneapolis Sets Zero Waste Goals
The Minneapolis City Council is considering steps that would increase the amount of its waste stream that gets recycled.
Really Bad News from Antarctica
For those who thought that glacial melting due to climate change mainly affected Greenland and mountain glaciers like in the Himalayas, think again. A new NASA/UC Irvine study reports that melting of West Antarctica's glaciers "appears unstoppable".
Bi-Partisan Energy Efficiency Bill Stalls while Obama Pushes Initiative
A bi-partisan Senate bill to dramatically reduce carbon emissions by increasing energy efficiency got caught-up in Keystone XL pipeline politics, while President Barak Obama pursued his own energy efficiency agenda at a Walmart in Mtn. View, Calif.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
