Public policy decisions that will impact land and water conservation in the American West.

What did this year’s politics mean for public lands in the American West? Jonathan Thompson surveys recent political trends and their potential impact on conservation in the West in an article for High Country News.
The war in Ukraine has boosted demand for fossil fuels and other dormant industries like uranium mining while the federal government seeks to clean up polluted sites. “A gusher of federal funding aimed at plugging and cleaning up abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells shone a spotlight on a pervasive and long-neglected problem. Meanwhile, the Biden administration, plagued by high gasoline prices, continued its back-and-forth approach to energy development on public lands.” The demand for “green metals,” which is growing due to the proliferation of electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines, “has sparked the biggest mining rush on Western public lands since the uranium craze of the 1950s.”
Elsewhere, conservationists are celebrating the imminent removal of four dams and the possible removal of several others as federal regulators recognize the damage caused by dams to local biodiversity. But water supplies in the West’s major reservoirs continue to dwindle as states debate how to handle the deepening crisis.
More of Planetizen’s coverage of the water crisis on the Colorado River:
FULL STORY: How the West’s public lands fared in 2022

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie