Environment
California’s Energy Emergency: Fodder for Democrats and Republicans
What are the lessons to be learned from California's 10-day power grid emergency this month? Democrats and Republicans in Congress have their own takeaways, and both may be right.
New Parks Needs Assessment Standards in L.A. County
The report contains data and analyses in support of expanding land conservation and restoration, transit to parks, and other strategies to meet regional and rural needs in Los Angeles County.
Making Healthy Places
The editors of the book "Making Healthy Places," recently published in a second edition by Island Press, discuss the intersections of public health and planning, including key concepts such as green gentrification, health impact assessments, and AI.
Democrats Call for Stronger Action on Environmental Justice
The Justice40 initiative could make a major difference for communities burdened by pollution, but only if funds are spent on projects that maintain a focus on equity.
Rise Of Electric Vehicles Makes Good Planning More Crucial Than Ever
There may be plenty of reasons to hail the rise of electric vehicles, including California's policy to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. But what may be good for the air is not necessarily good for cities.
California's Energy Reality Check
Is California ready for an all-electric future? The California energy grid barely withstood its biggest test during last week's heat wave as residents cranked up their air conditioners. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters questions if the grid is ready.
Where Floods Follow Wildfires
Neighborhoods not previously at risk of flooding face new challenges as burn scars from recent fires leave them vulnerable to floods.
Colorado Planning for a Less Car-Dependent Transportation Future
Multiple funding plans are on the brink of reformulating the state of Colorado’s approach to transportation—away from cars and toward active transportation and high-capacity public transit.
How the Electric Grid Can Handle All the New Electric Vehicles
A key question of the U.S. approach to greenhouse gas reductions is whether an already stressed electric grid will be able to handle a whole fleet of new electric vehicles.
Will California's EV Rule Spread to Other States?
Last month California banned the sale of new light duty vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2035. Over a dozen other states have the ability to adopt the same rule, but will they? The Associated Press investigates nine of them.
Proposed Rule Would Require Emission Reductions From U.S. Highway System
A recently proposed rule, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure, would require state and regional planning powers to track and reduce emissions from the U.S. highway system.
Europe Building a Post-Car Future
While the United States mobilizes to transition to electric cars, cities and countries in Europe are transitioning to fewer cars.
Legislature Extends $1.4 Billion Lifeline to California's Last Operating Nuclear Power Plant
A bipartisan bill, fiercely opposed by many in the environmental community, would keep the Diablo Canyon Power Plant operating beyond 2025. The bill received overwhelming approval after it was amended to shorten the duration of the extension.
$1.66 Billion in Federal Infrastructure Funding Awarded to U.S. Bus Systems
The Federal Transit Administration announced the winners in the Bus and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission Vehicle (Low-No Program) programs in August.
The Nation's Largest Wind Farm: Planned in Wyoming, Built for California
This project could "save California," according to the Los Angeles Times. But it won't be easy.
Local Control for Solar; State Preemption for Oil and Gas
A solar energy facility planned for Fairfield County, Ohio is in critical condition after local governments express their displeasure.
The Inflation Reduction Act's Secret Climate Weapon
While the impact on inflation of the questionably-titled Inflation Reduction Act remains to be seen, the law will mitigate the damage done by a landmark Supreme Court case in June that gutted the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Cool Planning for a Hotter Future
Global warming increases the importance of designing buildings and communities that are comfortable, efficient, and safe in hot conditions.
Could This Supreme Court Ruling Affect Fair Housing?
Experts on housing law discuss the potential repercussions of a recent Supreme Court decision that struck down the EPA’s authority in limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Could conservative judges apply the same rationale to limit HUD's authority?
Water Supply Failure in Jackson, Mississippi
A catastrophic failure of the water supply in Jackson is leaving state and local officials scrambling to deliver clean water to some 180,000 residents of the state’s capital.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
