Government / Politics

Energy Issues at Stake in New Mexico Land Commission Election
Unlike energy issues that will appear in the form of ballot initiatives on Tuesday in three western states, voters in New Mexico will cast their energy vote in their choice for state land commissioner, an arcane position with considerable authority.

‘Nudging’ Durham Commuters Toward More Sustainable Modes of Travel
Behavioral science is informing the city’s efforts to change the way people commute.

U.S. EPA's Climate Change Website Still Missing in Action
It might take a new administration for climate change to be of concern to the federal government again.

Major Court Victory for California High-Speed Rail Authority
Plaintiffs suing the state of California over a 2016 law that allowed the High-Speed Rail Authority to tap a $9.9 billion bond measure, passed by voters a decade ago to pay for construction on "usable segments," came up short for the second time.

Judge: Pittsburgh Can't Hide Amazon HQ2 Offer From the Public
City and county officials have already appealed a decision that would require them to release the details of a proposal designed to entice Amazon into locating its second headquarters in Pittsburgh.

State Gubernatorial Elections Have Environmental Consequences
The environment and climate change may not be top issues in the nation's hotly contested gubernatorial contests next Tuesday, but their outcomes can cause policy changes. Take North Carolina and the election of Roy Cooper, a Democrat, two years ago.

TEDx: How Will Autonomous Vehicles Transform Cities?
Nico Larco presents a TEDx Talk on the impacts AVs will have on cities, including impacts on land use, land valuation, and the environment. AVs are more than just a transportation issue, and planners need to prepare for the coming changes.

Mexico City Airport Project Ends; Causes Economic Rumblings
Mexican voters do not want the airport project to continue, and serious economic consequences could follow.

Curbs Are Plentiful, But the Info About Them Isn’t Great. A New App Could Change That
An app called Surveyor is making it easier to collect better data on curbs.

Will More Money Solve San Francisco's Homelessness Problem?
San Francisco voters will decide on Proposition C, a business tax based on gross receipts levied on large employers, the most contentious of five local measures.

Oracle Launches Land Use and Development Software
The product uses artificial intelligence to manage zoning, code enforcement, and permitting for local governments.

Rural Residents Not on Board With Texas Bullet Train Plan
A proposal for high-speed rail from Houston to Dallas is highlighting the state’s social and political divisions.

Sacramento Hopes to Lead Transportation Emission Reductions by Example
As California tries to stem its increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, its capital, Sacramento, may prove to be a model for other cities as it embraces electric vehicles and strategies to reduce driving.

When Academic Research Goes Bad
A 'misconduct investigation' decided that an industry-funded study, used by the EPA as the basis to roll back a regulation limiting the number of old engines that could be used in new truck chassis (i.e., "glider trucks"), was inaccurate.

Friday Funny: Grey Areas Discovered Between YIMBY and NIMBY
You know housing politics has gone mainstream when a satirical literary journal pokes fun at your acronyms.

New York’s Music Venues Vital to City, Says Report
A study of the musical nightlife of New York shows these spaces are an integral part of the city’s urban landscape.

Prime Minister Trudeau Extends Carbon Pricing Throughout Canada
A carbon tax-and-dividend plan goes into effect on January 1 in the four Canadian provinces that don't price carbon emissions. Revenues will be rebated to residents, small businesses, and public institutions as Climate Action Incentive payments.

New York Voters to Consider Term Limits for Community Board Members
Proposal 3, on November's ballot, aims to bring new diversity to the community board system that advises land use and development decisions around the city.

Chicago and New York: Two Transit Systems, Two Very Different Outcomes
Both cities have aging transit systems in need of major repairs. Chicago’s approach has helped turn the system around while New York is still grappling with its issues.

Aldermanic Obstruction Too Strong for Former Chicago Spire Site Plans
Developers Related Midwest have new plans for the infamously failed development site, but have so far been stymied by demands from the office of Alderman Brendan Reilly.
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