Environment
Houston’s ‘Ike Dike’ Won’t Adequately Protect the City
The largest project ever undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers may not be enough to protect Houston-area communities from flooding during the most severe hurricanes, according to the Corps’ own analysis.
New Vision for Southern California’s Great Park
The newly unveiled comprehensive plan includes a botanical garden, museums, and a 22-acre lake system.
The Growing Importance of Location Intelligence
Location intelligence is transforming decision-making, with an increasing number and type of organizations modernizing operations with a geographic approach to problem-solving, planning, and prediction.
The Nation’s Most Endangered Rivers
An annual list from American Rivers highlights the waterways most at risk from climate change, poor water management, pollution, and other dangers.
Berkeley’s First-in-Nation Natural Gas Ban Overthrown by Court Ruling
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Berkeley does not have the power to mandate electric hookups in new development because a federal rule preempts the local regulation.
Opinion: The Time for ‘Yard Reform’ is Now
Replacing lawns with native plants and grasses saves water and improves biodiversity, but some cities make the practice illegal.
The East Coast Greenway Is Stitching Together a 3,000-Mile Trail Network
The ever-evolving greenway connects biking and walking trails from Maine to Florida.
Garden Transforms Trash Into Works of Art
South Coast Botanic Garden highlights the importance of sustainability through its latest exhibit which consists of 16 giant creatures made from beach debris that washed ashore.
Denver Residents Lack Transit Access to Local Parks
Despite an early plan to run rail lines to the city’s mountain parks, they are not easily accessible to Denverites without cars.
Can Federal Emissions Standards Hasten the Transition to EVs?
The EPA unveiled two far-reaching rules to tighten emission standards for light, medium and heavy duty vehicles that can only be met by transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. The proposal is certain to be challenged in court as an agency overreach.
Public Lands Rule Would Center Conservation
After decades of protecting extractive interests, federal law could reverse course and put conservation on par with other uses.
USDOT Federal Grant Program Will Fund Wildlife Crossings
The funding will support projects that reduce the risk of vehicle-wildlife collisions and improve habitat connectivity.
Study: Inequity Surfaces During Water Crises
As the world’s water supply becomes more threatened, the wealthiest people are exacerbating the crisis through non-essential uses while the poor are the first to lose access to water.
CA High-Speed Rail’s Latest Challenge: Floodwater
The historic precipitation that fell on the state of California in past months poses a unique and unanticipated threat to the state’s big infrastructure project in the Central Valley.
Dramatic Decline in New EV Models to Qualify for Federal Tax Credit
The Treasury Department released long-awaited rules required by the historic Inflation Reduction Action on March 31 that will determine which electric vehicle models purchased after April 17 will qualify for a federal credit up to $7,500.
Expressway Expansion Could Threaten Brooklyn Bridge Park
Supporters of the waterfront park worry NYCDOT’s plan to potentially widen the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could reduce green space in “one of the most expensive urban parks ever built.”
From Degraded Lands to Parks: Advancing Environmental Justice
The restoration of degraded lands, including properties occupied by abandoned, redundant, or unwanted infrastructure, is of great importance in Los Angeles County, where numerous underserved communities are plagued with environmental burdens.
Controversial Highway Widening Breaks Ground in Austin
Texas’ transportation priorities were on display in March—a few days after the gutting of a transit plan, a highway expansion broke ground depite years of local opposition.
6 International Models of Urban Revitalization
The New York Times recently published an article exploring six cities from around the world reinventing themselves for the 21st century: Paris, Sydney, Medellin, Lisbon, Singapore, and Durban.
Street Trees as Climate Resilience
An Austin-based urban designer explains how protecting and encouraging the planting of street trees will make the city more resilient to increasingly common extreme heat events, among many other benefits.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
