Environment
Declining Water Levels Trigger ‘Stage 1’ Drought Response in Austin
The effects of the megadrought in the American Southwest are reaching into Texas.
Funding Urban Climate Justice
The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund stands out as an example of local grassroots climate action—in this case, the kind of action that makes other climate projects and programs possible.
Depave Paradise: Reclaiming Parking Lots for Park Space
The promoters of a new park hope to provide a model for how replacing surface parking lots with green space can mitigate urban heat and boost urban biodiversity.
Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible
With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
How Rotterdam’s Green Rooftops Fight Urban Heat
An elevated park in Rotterdam shows how green roofs can cool cities and create public parks in tight quarters.
Take a Walk at the Hollywood Bowl
Few people are aware that the iconic concert venue is also a public park where visitors can walk around and exercise.
No Connection Between Gardens and Gentrification in Detroit, Study Says
Research from late 2021 documented the footprint of urban gardens in Detroit, finding evidence of inequities but not gentrification.
Communities Near Warehouses Unprotected by Outdated Zoning Codes
Today’s massive modern distribution centers have outsized impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. But outdated zoning codes often let them slip through the cracks with no environmental review.
Drought Renews Momentum for $4 Billion Reservoir Project in California
Bipartisan political support, billions in state and federal funding, and an unrelenting drought are creating momentum for the Sites Reservoir project in California's northern Central Valley.
California State Parks Awards $57 million to Improve Access to the Outdoors
To advance the state's "Outdoors for All" initiative, the park agency is providing funding to 125 low-income urban and rural communities.
Extending the Life of California's Largest Power Plant
Gov. Gavin Newsom has notified the U.S. Department of Energy of his interest in using funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant slated to close in three years.
New Park Proposed for San Diego's Waterfront
The Port of San Diego and USS Midway Museum are working together to convert Navy Pier into a new public park on San Diego Bay's North Embarcadero.
Caltrain Electrification Project Faces Budget Shortfall
The agency is seeking an additional $260 million to complete electrification of train lines between San Francisco and San Jose.
Southern California Freeway Expansion Plans Scrapped
After more than a decade of planning, Caltrans has officially dropped the I-710 Corridor Project, a plan to widen Interstate 710 for a long stretch of the freeway near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Tsunami Defenses a Tough Sell in the Pacific Northwest
The experience of communities and school districts attempting to build elevated structures for residents to wait out the high water of a tsunami, an inevitable threat in the Pacific Northwest, has been challenging and impossible to differing degrees.
$31 Billion ‘Ike Dike’ Hurricane Protection Project Moving Through Congress
Congress authorized the $31 billion ‘Ike Dike’ sea-level rise adaptation project, along with a laundry list of other water infrastructure projects.
The Social and Economic Benefits of Green Schoolyards
New research suggests that switching from asphalt to green, park-like schoolyards brings economic benefits in addition to public health improvements.
Dams on the Way Out on Two California Rivers
The largest dam removal project in U.S. history is about to commence on the Klamath River. Due to a recent development, a dam on the Eel River is also on expected for decommission.
Federal Funds Helping to Create New Parks in San Diego County
The Beyer Park project in San Ysidro and Sweetwater Park development in Chula Vista each received $5 million grants from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Europe's New Energy Infrastructure Begins to Emerge
When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped to quickly redraw national boundary lines in Eastern Europe. The region's energy infrastructure, particularly pipelines carrying natural gas, may change sooner.
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
