Environment
Houston Nonprofit Plants its Millionth Tree
Trees for Houston works with private and public landowners to distribute trees across the city and help restore Houston’s shrinking tree canopy.
Study: LA Could Get Rid of Almost Half its Pavement
Researchers say nearly half of the county’s paved surfaces could be redesigned to cool neighborhoods, manage stormwater, and improve public health.
DHS Waived 28 Environmental and Historic Protection Laws to Expedite Building of South Texas Border Wall
The barrier would run through Big Bend National Park, raising alarms among environmentalists who say it will harm wildlife in the region.
USDOT Wants to Require 100% American-made Materials for EV Charging Stations
The proposal comes after a judge ruled against the agency’s attempt to rescind federal funds for electric car charging projects.
South Carolina Mapping Tool Tracks Marsh Migration From Sea Level Rise
The movement of South Carolina’s coastal salt marshes is an early harbinger of the path of future floods.
EPA Guts Emissions Regulations
The agency is eliminating the endangerment finding that underpins the agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Amsterdam is First World Capital to Ban Ads for Fossil Fuels on Public Infrastructure
Several other Dutch cities have banned advertising for harmful or polluting industries on city-owned properties.
LA County Adopts First Heat Action Plan
LA County has adopted its first Heat Action Plan, a long-term, people-centered framework to reduce heat risks, protect public health, and adapt communities, homes, and public spaces to a hotter and more dangerous climate.
Battle Over $15 Billion in Data Centers Erupts in Rural Southern California County
Imperial County residents and local officials oppose two proposed data centers that would significantly impact natural resources.
Colorado River States Fail to Strike Deal After ‘Historic Meeting’
The Colorado Basin states have until February 14 to agree on new water conservation measures.
Vancouver Set to Adopt Game-changing Citywide Development Plan
To comply with new provincial law, Vancouver will adopt a new city plan aimed at guiding development for the next three decades.
San Diego Sues DHS, DOD Over Razor Wire Near Mexico Border
The city says U.S. Marines trespassed on city land to install fencing that damages sensitive habitat in an area designated as conservation land.
Pennsylvania’s Historic Sites are Under Threat From Rising Waters
The state has one of the nation’s highest concentrations of registered historic sites — and some face destruction from flooding.
Judge Rules Trump Administration Can’t Withhold EV Charger Funds
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release withheld funds and approvals for state EV charging plans.
NorCal's First Certified ‘Wildfire-Resilient’ Community Opens Near Sacramento
The 24-home Stone Canyon development goes beyond California’s building code for fire-resistant individual homes to include neighborhood-level fire resilience standards.
Danish Suburb Introduces Red Streetlights to Protect Nocturnal Species
The town of Gladsaxe is using red-spectrum LEDs to illuminate streets where bat species congregate.
Louisville Turns to Heat-Tolerant Southern Trees to Prepare for a Warmer Future
Louisville is addressing its ongoing issues with climate change by investing in heat-tolerant tree species from southern regions to reduce rising temperatures and enhance its tree canopy coverage.
Florida Lawmakers to Reconsider 2024 Law Blocking Local Resilience Efforts
Legislators are proposing changes to a bill that froze all local land use and building code changes, including those designed to reduce risks from flooding and hurricanes.
California Beats EV Adoption Goal by Over 1 Million Vehicles
The state pledged to put 1.5 million EVs on its roads by 2025.
Zillow Deleted Climate Risk From California Listings. This Climate Expert Wants to Bring it Back.
While difficult to estimate for individual homes, experts argue that home buyers should have access to data about flood and wildfire risk, extreme heat, and other climate hazards in the area.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
planning NEXT
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
