Energy

Road with one green electric vehicle charging lane

The Marriage of Technology and Road Infrastructure

The future of road infrastructure likely includes wireless electric charging, innovative construction materials, and more data collection. Will cities remember to prioritize pedestrian safety, too?

July 26, 2022 - Governing

A row of USPS delivery trucks

Postal Service Commits to Electrifying Half its New Fleet

In the wake of condemnation from environmental groups, the USPS revised its plan to replace its gas-powered fleet of trucks.

July 24, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Window air conditioner units on a brick building

Protecting Urban Residents From Extreme Heat

With temperatures reaching record highs in cities around the country, local officials are implementing measures to ensure vulnerable residents have adequate cooling.

July 24, 2022 - Next City

School Buses

EPA Launches School Bus Electrification Program

The agency will distribute $5 billion over the next five years to help school districts purchase electric and low-emissions buses.

July 21, 2022 - U.S. PIRG, the Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups

Power Plant

Ways the EPA Can Still Fight Climate Change

Despite the Supreme Court’s recent decision to limit the EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from power plants, the agency still has a range of tools at its disposal for enforcing pollution controls and reducing harmful emissions.

July 18, 2022 - High Country News

Coal-Fired Power Plant

Report: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reductions Not Hitting Paris Agreement Goal

The United States is making modest gains in the power and transportation sectors, but emissions in the industrial sector are holding steady, absent new reduction initiatives.

July 15, 2022 - Rhodium Group

Los Angeles STreet

Can Los Angeles Join the Anti-Gas Station Movement?

A growing number of cities in California have prohibited the construction of new gas stations. Los Angeles could soon consider an ordinance to do the same—in a landmark move for the city some believe to be a symbol of car-dependent sprawl.

July 14, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Diablo Canyon nuclear plant

Funding Allocated to Extend Life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

In order to to ensure that the lights stay on, the California legislature approved allocating up to $75 million to extend the life of the state's sole remaining nuclear plant and four natural gas powered plants, to the chagrin of environmentalists.

July 11, 2022 - CALmatters

Gas Pump

High Gas Costs Making a Small Dent in Carbon Emissions

Americans are driving slightly less due to high prices at the pump, but this reduction in driving is only making a small impact on overall U.S. carbon emissions.

July 11, 2022 - Denver Post

New Jersey Power Plant

Supreme Court Guts the U.S. EPA’s Ability to Limit Carbon Emissions

The consequences of this ruling have long been foretold. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now officially barred from the fight against climate change, Congress will have to act to reduce carbon emissions.

June 30, 2022 - Yahoo News

Nighttime view of empty gas station

Biden Proposes Gas Tax Holiday to Reduce Gas Prices

President Biden asked Congress on June 22 to suspend federal fuel taxes, unchanged since 1993, for three months to provide motorists 'relief' at the pump. Additionally, he asked states to follow suit and for oil companies to increase refining.

June 30, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Pick-Up Truck

Friday Funny: The Onion Satirizes the Federal Government’s Electric Car Fetish

The totally satirical, not-at-all-real website The Onion is back with another planning-related fake news take.

June 24, 2022 - The Onion

3D rendering of a hydrogen storage facility with wind turbines in background

Energy Department Resumes Loan Program with Hydrogen Storage

The Energy Department's loan office, known for a bad loan to the solar panel startup Solyndra in 2011, will loan $504 million to a company that will use renewable energy to create 'green hydrogen' and store it in salt caverns in Utah.

June 21, 2022 - U.S. Department of Energy

Hawaii

Fighting for Their Future: Hawai’i Kids Sue State Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A group of Hawai’ian youth is suing the state’s Department of Transportation, claiming that Hawai’i’s transportation system contributes to climate change and the destruction of homes and cultural traditions.

June 16, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Concrete dam of almost dried, low water level Stevens Creek reservoir in San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Desalination and Water Recycling Needed to Increase Bay Area Water Supply

In an ongoing drought exacerbated by climate change, the Bay Area needs to look toward two technologies to secure adequate drinking water supply: desalination and wastewater recycling, according to an analysis by the San Francisco Examiner.

June 9, 2022 - San Francisco Examiner

Factory Emissions

Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible

With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

June 7, 2022 - Berkeley Lab

Diablo Canyon Nuclear

Extending the Life of California's Largest Power Plant

Gov. Gavin Newsom has notified the U.S. Department of Energy of his interest in using funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant slated to close in three years.

May 31, 2022 - Bloomberg News

San Francisco Rail Transit

Caltrain Electrification Project Faces Budget Shortfall

The agency is seeking an additional $260 million to complete electrification of train lines between San Francisco and San Jose.

May 31, 2022 - San Francisco Examiner

Gas station prices sign

'Are Gas Prices Too High?'

Nominal gas prices have never been higher. But are they too high? The question was posed by the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources to the Secretary of the Interior during a committee hearing on May 19.

May 29, 2022 - The Washington Post

Worker standing between solar panels on roof

Rooftop Solar Hampered by New York City Fire Code

Requirements in the NYFD fire code make it costly and difficult to achieve the city’s solar installation goals.

May 26, 2022 - Grist

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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.