Environment
The Culture Clash at State DOTs Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Whether state departments of transportation support or oppose a new rule aimed at reining in carbon emissions in transportation reflects an urban-rural, red-blue divide.
Tucson Could Ban Ornamental Grass
The city could ban the planting of “nonfunctional” grass in new developments, but would stop short of regulating lawns and golf courses.
Mississippi Investigated for Civil Rights Violations in Jackson Water Crisis
The NAACP has accused a pair of Mississippi departments of discrimination against Black Mississippians, leading to the loss of drinking water in the state's capital city at the end of the summer.
Designing a New Nature Center at a Geological Wonder
Los Angeles County has developed a conceptual design for a new nature center at the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area based on community input. The old nature center was destroyed by a wildfire in 2020.
Identifying and Addressing Rural Park and Recreation Needs
Rural communities are not homogeneous. Each has its own unique demographics, location, topography, history, park and recreation needs, and community preferences.
Ramping Up Recycled Wastewater
States like Colorado and water suppliers in parts of Southern California are expanding the use of recycled wastewater to protect dwindling drinking water supplies.
The Right to a Healthy Environment: Not as Healthy as One Might Think
Some state constitutions provide that citizens have the right to a healthy environment. But these seemingly innocuous provisions may lead to counterproductive results.
Republican States Challenge Highway Emissions Plan
A federal proposal that would require states to monitor and set targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, praised by Democrats, is being called “unworkable” by many Republican states.
The Shifting Demographics of Covid-19
For most of the Covid-19 pandemic, Black Americans died at much higher rates than White Americans. That trend has reversed at times during the past year.
Wildfires Second-Largest Source of Emissions in California
New research quantifies the impact of wildfires on California’s air quality, indicating that bigger and more frequent fires contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
The Consequences of Sprawl: Overcrowded Housing and Covid Deaths
Los Angeles is the nation's capital of both crowding and sprawl. A feature published by the Los Angeles Times provides the history of how the metropolis achieved this contradiction.
West Coast Offshore Wind Takes a Step Forward
The federal government announced a lease sale for locations along the California coast approved for offshore wind energy production.
Orange County Desalination Plant Wins Key Approval
A desalination plant is moving forward in Orange County with California Coastal Commission approval just a few months after another, uch more expensive project, failed the same test.
Federal Program Provides Direct Payments for Colorado River Water Conservation
A water buyback program will pay farmers who reduce their water use in an effort to sustain the West’s reservoirs, which are at historically low levels.
Cleveland Resilience Project Approves Design Contract
The plan to protect Cleveland’s waterfront from storm damage got a boost as the Port approved a $3.75 million design contract.
The Cradle-to-Cradle Approach to Building
The circular economy. Cradle-to-cradle. The regenerative economy. Whatever you call it, an approach to building that eliminates waste would transform the next generation of the built environment.
Hurricane Ian Puts Renewed Focus on Florida's Barrier Islands
Ian did not impact Southeast Florida, but coastal residents there took notice of the state's deadliest hurricane since 1935 that devastated much of Southwest Florida last month, particularly the barrier islands off the Gulf Coast.
California Needs More Housing—But Where?
The state’s housing shortage is complicated by the growing number of places threatened by wildfires.
Parking and Sustainable Urban Mobility
Parking policy, and any potential change in it, is a highly contested issue in most cities. The integration of parking measures into a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) can help achieve long-term goals.
How Pollinators Fight Warming Cities
Researchers are starting to understand how urban bee populations can support healthy green spaces and reduce the urban heat island effect.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
