Energy
Rail Electrification: Caltrain adds BEMUs to its EMU Order
Caltrain, the San Francisco-to-San Jose commuter railroad, plans to begin electrified operation next year on its 49-mile mainline. A 28-mile extension south to Gilroy would continue to be served by diesel trains, with one train powered by battery.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
Energy Reliability Vs. the Environment
A controversial but unanimous vote by California officials last week to keep three older, coastal natural gas power plants operating beyond their termination dates shows that environmental protection takes a back seat to keeping the lights on.
Texas Planning a Statewide Electric Vehicle Charging Network
The Texas Department of Transportation has a plan to leverage federal infrastructure funding for electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state.
Making Natural Gas Power Plants Cleaner
Carbon capture and storage has long been associated with coal-burning power plants. Calpine Corp. hopes to apply the controversial technology to existing natural gas power plants, beginning with a pilot project to start this month in the Bay Area.
Boston Grant Program Supports Greener Affordable Housing
The city wants to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
‘Passive House’ Standard Gaining Ground in Multifamily Housing
Developers in Chicago and around the country are taking notice of a design standard that encourages energy efficiency and sustainable materials.
Boston Eliminates Fossil Fuels in New City-Owned Buildings
Mayor Michelle Wu said the new rule will help boost demand for green materials and create new jobs in the green building sector.
Looking to the Middle East for Cooling Architecture
Cooling mechanisms built into traditional architecture offer lessons for U.S. builders as heat waves grow more intense.
Grand Canyon Area Could Gain New National Monument
The Biden administration has signaled support for a proposed national monument that would protect Native American lands around the Grand Canyon from uranium mining.
The ‘Necessity of Oil and Gas Drilling’
The California Supreme Court on Aug. 3 unanimously overturned a successful 2016 Monterey County ballot measure that banned new oil and gas drilling. According to plaintiff Chevron USA, the justices recognized the ‘necessity of oil and gas drilling.’
Tucson Braces for Extreme Weather With Climate Action Plan
The desert city faces a growing risk from extreme heat waves and stronger, more unpredictable storms.
Federal Fuel Economy Rules Take Different Path than Emission Standards
The traditional approach for federal fuel economy and emissions standards is for the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency to propose regulations simultaneously. This year is different.
Federal Rule Update to Speed Clean Energy Approvals
A regulatory change at the federal level will shorten the time it takes clean energy projects to gain approval and start providing energy to the grid.
Election 2024: California Oil Drilling Referendum
Environmentalists gear up for battle to reject a referendum funded by Big Oil on a law passed last year that would ban oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.
Hawaii Could Implement Road Usage Charge
The tax would apply to electric vehicles, which avoid the state’s gas tax and are a growing percentage of cars on the road.
Offshore Wind Power Projects Face Financial Headwind
As offshore wind projects along the East Coast stall, so do the country’s emissions reduction goals.
Google Maps Feature Identifies Most Fuel-Efficient Routes
A new feature highlights routes that use the least gas to help users make the most fuel-efficient driving decisions.
Proposed Regulatory Changes Would Raise the Cost of Oil Drilling on Public Land
The new rules would raise more money for cleanup operations and bring more revenue to oil-producing states, but are a far cry from fulfilling President Biden’s promise to end extraction on public lands.
Road Funding Options: The Alternative to the Alternative
The inverse relationship between electric vehicle sales and gasoline tax revenues has caused the federal government and many states to investigate mileage fees as an alternative funding option to fuel taxes. Iowa is going a different route.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
