Environmental justice alarms sounded when an oil industry executive made public remarks about how drilling sites get selected.

"Two environmental organizations will ask the state’s Office of Environmental Justice to review Range Resources’ past and future shale gas development practices to determine if the company has avoided drilling in wealthier neighborhoods and targeted poorer areas of the state," reports Don Hopey.
The concern arises after remarks by Terry Bossert, vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs for Range Resources. Bossert "told a Pennsylvania Bar Institute gathering in Harrisburg earlier this month, that the company tries to avoid siting its shale gas wells near 'big houses' where residents might have the financial resources to challenge the industrial-type developments."
The article includes more discussion about the implications and seriousness of Bossert's remarks, but Hopey also examines the work of the state Office of Environmental Justice, part of the state Department of Environmental Protection, to analyze and regulate issues of environmental justice.
FULL STORY: Range Resources exec's well-site remarks drawing sharp criticism

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Report Outlines Strategies for Resilient Wildfire Recovery in LA
Project Recovery offers a roadmap for rebuilding more sustainable and climate-resilient communities after wildfires and other disasters.

New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.

Study: Larger Vehicles Lead to More Congestion
New research links large SUVs to lower traffic throughput.
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