Republican legislators in the state of Wyoming are choosing sides in the energy market—with dire consequences for consumers and the environment.

[Updated January 16, 2017] "A bill proposed by six state lawmakers would charge utilities a penalty if they use wind or solar energy to provide Wyoming consumers with electricity," reports Heather Richards.
"If Senate File 71 were law, there would be six permissible resources for generating electricity for Wyomingites, including natural gas and coal. Wind and solar are not on the list, except for individual use," adds Richards.
Critics of the proposed law are calling it protectionism—and likely ineffective protectionism at that. As Richards explains, "[t]he benefit to Wyoming's producers of traditional fuels like coal is unclear, as two-thirds of Wyoming generated electricity is shipped out of the state already."
The more likely effect of the bill: a tax on wind energy that could raise the price of electricity for consumers as renewable energy becomes more and more competitive with traditional forms of energy.
Zahra Hirji provides an environmentalist take on the proposed law for InsideClimate News.
[The post was updated with the correct name of the state in question.]
FULL STORY: Bill would penalize utilities for wind-generated electricity for Wyoming customers

The Unceremonious Death of a Freeway Expansion Project
The end of an Oregon freeway project didn't get much fanfare, but the victory is worth celebrating.

Converting Golf Courses to Housing Never as Easy as the Market Would Like
Thousands of golf courses have closed in recent years, but the obvious redevelopment opportunity represented by many defunct courses isn’t always easy to realize.

Houston To End Bike Share Program
Lacking the funding it needs to continue, Houston’s BCycle bike share system will end operations in the coming months.

FTA Announces Tribal Transit Program Grants
The agency awarded close to $10 million to 22 communities around the country for transit improvements.

Making Colorado’s Front Range Rail a Reality
Local leaders are scrambling to bring together the funding and political support to create new intercity rail service in the fast-growing region.

How College Campuses Fulfill an Urbanist Dream
Most college campuses in the United States are inherently walkable, mixing various uses with diverse housing options and transit networks.
Caltrans
Caltrans
Knoxville-Knox County Planning
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
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.