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."
FULL STORY: With Proposed Rail Expansion, Northwest Confronts Its Clean Image

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action
As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts
Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

Why Bike Lanes Are Good: An Explainer for the US Transportation Secretary
Sean Duffy says there’s no evidence that bike lanes have benefits. Streetsblog — and federal agencies’ own data — beg to differ.
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