United States

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.

Proposed Bill Would Direct Funds to Road Safety
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act was spurred by the death of a U.S. diplomat who was killed on her bicycle.

HUD Ordered to Release Grant Funds After Anti-DEI Clawback
A federal judge ruled in favor of fair housing groups after the Trump administration tried to rescind housing grants.

Drop in Veteran Homelessness Offers Lessons
Bipartisan support, robust funding, and access to comprehensive data are keys to the success of programs that assist unhoused veterans.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

Harnessing the Power of Fungi for Environmental Cleanup
Mycoremediation — the use of fungi to break down or absorb environmental pollutants — offers a promising, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative to conventional methods for restoring contaminated sites.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?
U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.

Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

NOAA: Southwest ‘Megadrought’ to Persist
Roughly 40 percent of the 48 lower U.S. states are currently in some state of ‘abnormally dry conditions.’

Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health
A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.

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.

Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal for First Time
Solar and wind power generated close to a third of U.S. electricity supplies in 2024.

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?

Beyond Congestion Pricing: Strategies for Revolutionizing Urban Mobility
How cities are leveraging data and technology to improve their transportation networks and reduce traffic.

Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?
Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.

$5 Billion Rental Assistance Fund Set to Run Out of Cash
“No additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming,” HUD announces.
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