Trump Administration

Brookline, Massachusetts

Positive Thinking for the Environment

There have been wins. And there will be opportunities. All is not lost for the future of the planet.

January 19, 2020 - Outside

West Palm Beach, Florida

Opportunity Zones Under Investigation by Treasury Inspector General

Along with other members of congress, one of the authors of the law that established the federal Opportunity Zones program has asked the Treasury Department to investigate potential abuse of the program. The Treasury inspector general is obliging.

January 17, 2020 - NBC News

Washington, D.C.

Trump Administration Proposal Would Eliminate Fair Housing Protections

The Trump administration last week published its latest attempt to undermine a fair housing rule adopted during the Obama administration.

January 13, 2020 - Curbed

Oil Pipeline

Trump Administration Proposes Changes to National Environmental Policy Act

Sources report that proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act would limit the kinds of projects subject to federal environmental review, and remove climate change as a consideration for large infrastructure projects.

January 6, 2020 - The New York Times

Plastic Bag Litter

95 Environmental Regulations Threatened by the Trump Administration

New York Times analysis quantifies the environmental regulations at risk under the actions of the Trump administration.

December 26, 2019 - The New York Times

Flask Flood

Trump's Clean Water Rule Change Reduces Protection for 93% of Arizona Water

Most of Arizona's arroyos fall into the relentlessly contested grey area created by the 1972 Clean Water Act.

December 21, 2019 - Arizona Public Media

Houston, Texas

Rents Grow Fastest in Houston's Opportunity Zones

Rents have grown as much as 28 percent in the last year over the past year in the neighborhood of Midtown in Houston.

December 18, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

Airport

Arizona Mayors Want to Stay in the Paris Climate Agreement

The mayors of Tucson and Phoenix want Congress to block President Donald Trump from removing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.

November 27, 2019 - Arizona Public Media

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao

Evaluating Donald Trump's Transportation Efforts

MSNBC asks if the Trump administration has accomplished with its Department of Transportation, and whether Americans are better off because of those efforts.

November 27, 2019 - MSNBC

Protest

APA Opposes Withdrawal From the Paris Climate Agreement

The American Planning Association is urging the Trump administration to rescind its decision to withdraw the country from the Paris Climate Agreement.

November 15, 2019 - American Planning Association

Highway Construction

$900 Million in BUILD Transportation Grants Announced

The U.S. Department of Transportation this week announced $900 million in BUILD grant funding for transportation projects around the country, supporting a similar focus on rural and highway projects as in previous rounds of spending.

November 13, 2019 - Engineering News-Record

California State Water project

Trump Administration's New CA Water Plan Chooses Farmers Over Fish

A plan to divert water to farmers in California, released at the end of October, would allow for the annihilation of winter-run Chinook Salmon.

November 7, 2019 - East Bay Express

Detroit, Michigan

GM, Toyota, and Fiat Chrysler Back Trump on Weaker Auto Emissions Rule

The auto industry is divided on whether to back stronger emissions standard adopted by California and 13 other states. Three major automakers and three auto industry groups sided with Trump on Monday in a court battle over 'one national standard.'

November 3, 2019 - Reuters

California Central Valley

Trump Administration Finds a Way to Divert California Water to Farmers

A new federal program will clear the way for more water to be delivered to the state of California's agriculture industry, overruling environmental safeguards that protected fish.

October 27, 2019 - NPR

National Park Campgrounds

Department of Interior Could Allow Private Companies to Run National Park Campgrounds

The Trump administration is exploring ways to outsource operations at national parks to private businesses. Lobbyists for private businesses welcome the invitation.

October 12, 2019 - Yahoo News

Oil Pump in Los Angeles

Trump Administration Reopens California Public Lands to Oil and Gas Drilling

A decision by the Bureau of Land Management on Oct. 3 may reverse the outcome of a 2013 lawsuit against the Obama administration by two environmental groups that effectively halted drilling in Fresno, Monterey and San Benito counties.

October 11, 2019 - The Hill

Muni Bus Market Street

Trump Administration Suddenly Holding California to Higher Environmental Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to force the state of California to spend highway money on public transit, because of the environment.

October 3, 2019 - Eno Center for Transportation

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Op-Ed: Feds 'Obsessed' with Undermining National Monument

Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is under severe assault from the Trump administration, Stephen Trimble writes. Long the focus of preservation efforts, the protected land is being opened up for extractive uses.

September 29, 2019 - The Hill

President of the United States

White House Report on 'The State of Homelessness in America' Criticized

Shortly after a tumultuous visit to California focusing on the homelessness crisis in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Trump administration has released a report on homelessness that is already facing criticism.

September 24, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

California

California's Ability to Set Auto Emissions Standards to Be Revoked

The announcement was made Wednesday morning in a series of tweets by President Trump while raising cash from willing donors at several fundraisers in California. The formal announcement from EPA and DOT is set for Thursday.

September 19, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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.