Air Pollution

Coal Ash Waste

Making Older Coal Power Plants More Efficient Without Making Them Cleaner

At the center of the EPA's newly proposed Affordable Clean Energy rule is doing away with a permitting process known as New Source Review that requires coal power plants to add scrubbers and other expensive pollution control equipment when upgraded.

August 27, 2018 - The New York Times

HVAC

Extreme Heat Is an Inequality Issue

The Guardian sounds the alarm about deadly heat exposure in poor communities around the world.

August 23, 2018 - The Guardian

Utility-Scale Solar

'Affordable Clean Energy Rule' Proposed to Replace Clean Power Plan

On Tuesday, EPA released its new rule to regulate emissions from existing power plants, essentially leaving it to the states to determine appropriate emissions levels rather than setting actual standards each state has to meet like the current rule.

August 22, 2018 - The New York Times

Rural Traffic

Rollback of a Different Kind, Ordered by the EPA, Will Benefit Air Quality

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, acting at the behest of the new acting EPA administrator, will keep Obama-era regulation limiting air pollution from heavy trucks in place.

July 30, 2018 - The New York Times

Sacramento

The Greening of California's Republicans?

One finding from a new statewide survey, "Californians and the Environment," suggests that the environment is becoming a more bipartisan issue, but that finding is still subject to interpretation. What isn't is the top environmental issue: water.

July 29, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

California Water

Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake

With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.

July 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Folsom Car Culture

Study: Air Pollution From Cars and Trucks Causes Diabetes

A new study builds an even stronger case for setting pollution controls at PM 2.5 to prevent increased risk of diabetes. The EPA's clean air regulations set a threshold much less restrictive than that level.

July 15, 2018 - The Atlantic

Stone Arch Bridge

Minneapolis Looking to Rehabilitate Green Zones

Areas of the city historically overburdened with air pollution and brownfield sites will be targeted with local food programs and policies to create and bolster green spaces.

July 11, 2018 - Sustainable City Networks

Double Trucks

A Departing Blow to Clean Air on Pruitt's Final Day

Friday may have been disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's last day in office of the agency in charge of protecting the nation's environment, but he still managed to roll back a regulation to create lasting air pollution far greater than VW did.

July 9, 2018 - The New York Times

Proterra Electric Bus

California to Invest $1 Billion in Electric Trucks, Buses, Charging Infrastructure

The investment comes not from the state legislature but from two regulatory bodies, the Air Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission, authorizing the expenditure of VW settlement funds and utility ratepayer funds, respectively.

June 4, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Cleveland 4th Street St. Patrick's

Can Density Prevent Diabetes?

In Australia, a new study will determine the best ways to make high-density developments healthy places to live.

May 7, 2018 - Diabetes.co.uk

Governor of Wisconsin

Another EPA Rollback, Tailor-Made for Gov. Walker and Southeast Wisconsin

Politics and economics win over public health in Racine County as the EPA exempted the area around the Foxconn's massive facility from meeting stricter ozone pollution standards, saving the company from investing in smog-reducing equipment.

May 5, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Louisville Bus

Electric Buses Slowly Gain Momentum in U.S. Transit Systems

Industry experts project growth for electric buses, which could have big impacts on air quality and emissions in cities around the world.

May 3, 2018 - Vox

Pinksy Pollution Pod

Exhibition Offers a Taste of Air Pollution

A London art exhibit lets visitors experience a simulation of the polluted air from five cities around the world.

April 30, 2018 - CityLab

Bryant Park

Downtown Won't Kill You

Despite the stress and pollution of urban life, even the most dense, traffic-clogged cities may be as healthy as streetcar suburbs.

April 30, 2018 - Michael Lewyn

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

California Has 8 of the 10 Most Polluted Cities in the U.S.

Despite ever-stricter air-quality regulations and dropping emissions, the American Lung Association once again finds the state to have some of the worst air in the nation.

April 24, 2018 - USA Today

Getting the Politics of Cordon Tolling Right

With Mayor Jenny Durkan's announcement that Seattle will pursue cordon area congestion pricing coming five days after New York dropped its plan, a Washington State pro-business publication looks at the difficulties in getting the politics right.

April 20, 2018 - Lens

Metro Paris

Paris Considers Free Public Transit

Paris' Socialist mayor, Anne Hidalgo, wants to make transit free to get people out of their cars in the city of 2.2 million.

March 23, 2018 - Reuters

EPA Loses Court Ruling After Failing to Identify Smog Nonattainment Regions

As a result of a federal court ruling on March 12, the Environmental Protection Administration will be compelled to do what it should have done by October 1: Identify regions of the country where the air quality violates smog standards.

March 18, 2018 - CALmatters

Oil Pump in Los Angeles

Study: L.A. County's Urban Oil Wells Are Too Close to Homes and Schools

The Department of Public Health recommends taking action to better protect residents from oil operations that are sometimes only a few feet from where people live, work, eat, play and study.

March 7, 2018 - KPCC

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.

Top Books

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Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.