The energy industry's plans to transport oil and coal bound for Asia via rail through the Pacific Northwest provokes outrage and a lawsuit.
A plan to increase freight transportation of coal and oil through Washington has drawn the ire of environmentalists and city council members alike. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups have filed a federal lawsuit accusing BNSF Railway of violating the Clean Water Act.
The state's eastern cities expect an increase in freight activity, but don't anticipate any benefits. The Seattle-Tacoma is likely to receive benefits from the increase in economic activity while eastern cities, like Spokane, could have an enormous increase in train traffic without receiving much in return.
The reality of the Northwest's green image is more complicated. "Huge dams on the Columbia River make Washington and Oregon Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in renewable hydroelectricity. But the cheap electricity from those dams fostered an aerospace industry that is hardly carbon neutral. A multistate planning compact made the region a national leader in energy efficiency. But Washington’s big oil refineries can pump out more old-fashioned gasoline than all but a handful of other states."
Read the full story: With Proposed Rail Expansion, Northwest Confronts Its Clean Image
Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines
The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.
94% of wetlands could lose federal protections under proposed EPA rule
The ruling would only allot federal protections to waterways that flow nearly everyday, which few wetlands do.
Who owns US railroad tracks?
Nearly three-quarters of Amtrak's trains operate on tracks owned by private companies. What does this mean for U.S. passenger rail?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello