Environment
![Palm trees on Santa Barbara beach against the red glow of a wildfire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_314364448.jpeg.webp?itok=cophC5wJ)
California Considers Climate Resiliency Bond for 2024 Ballot
The proposed state general obligation bond would address the need to protect communities and natural resources from the impacts of climate change.
![View of snowy San Gabriel Mountains from the Mojave desert](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_250703363.jpeg.webp?itok=KkdSWfVQ)
Growing Support for Expanding the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
Members of Congress are proposing an expansion to the national monument by over 109,000 acres, increasing its size by nearly a third.
![People walking on crowded New York City sidewalk](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_185181068.jpeg.webp?itok=ZzS8gSNO)
A Fair Share for Walking
Most people value walkability, yet most communities underinvest in pedestrian facilities. Some jurisdictions are investing more in sidewalks and crosswalks in order to better serve community values.
![Sunset or sunrise view of coastal wetlands in Louisiana](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_437146828.jpeg.webp?itok=1Z7-isXm)
Louisiana Approves Coastal Restoration Master Plan
The latest update to a state-mandated coastal protection and restoration plan calls for wetlands restoration and new levees to protect communities from flooding.
![Male cyclists wearing helmet, sunglasses, and N95 mask stands with arms crossed in front of his bike](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_417506091.jpeg.webp?itok=R2xJCMIX)
Wildfire Smoke Takes Toll on Bike Commuters
How can people on bikes protect their lungs from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke?
![Person on mountain bike biking on trail in Colorado with mountains in background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_179762296.jpeg.webp?itok=p85h_oIP)
‘Queer Byke Brigade’ Wants to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive
A Colorado group of bike enthusiasts is creating a safe, welcoming outdoor space for LGBTQ+ people in Montezuma County.
![Fenced off vacant lot in Los Angeles](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/95th__Normandie_-_Primary_Before_ZGnS7AV.jpg.webp?itok=2v4-hPdP)
Improving Communities With Pocket Parks
Construction begins for a new pocket park in Westmont, an underserved unincorporated community in Los Angeles County.
![Aerial view of Marina del Rey, California, the world's second largest man-made marina](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_126285850.jpeg.webp?itok=x3Tdtk15)
Reimagining Marina del Rey
Los Angeles County is conducting a community needs assessment and planning effort to re-envision and remove barriers to accessing Marina del Rey as a vibrant waterfront destination for all.
![Tree stump in an urban sidewalk](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_463827666.jpeg.webp?itok=c0y4f-y6)
The Maintenance Gap in Tree Planting Programs
Tree planting is a highly visible way to show investment in a community, but without regular maintenance, street trees can become a nuisance rather than a benefit.
![Stormwater Infrastructure](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Anacostia_River_Tunnel_Diagram_800_706_90.jpg.webp?itok=ub_wZjxE)
50 Years Later: Anacostia River to Welcome Swimmers
The Washington, D.C. region has accomplished a major environmental victory, cleaning up the Anacostia River enough for humans to swim in for the first time in five decades.
![Close-up of hands holding mobile phone up to a plant to take a photo](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_206475254.jpeg.webp?itok=M4Vj5yd0)
Connecting with Nature Through Your Phone
During this year’s international City Nature Challenge, tens of thousands of people across the world went outside to take photos, document, and identify animal and plant species in their communities.
![Man in blue jacket photographs birds outdoors with zoom lens](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_259692330.jpeg.webp?itok=2_PBu21_)
The Importance of Community Scientists
Community science mobilizes the public to work alongside scientists to help answer questions about the world. Learn about the valuable contributions of community scientists in Hawai'i.
![Aerial view of beach homes in Galveston, Texas](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_588693655.jpeg.webp?itok=rGPa3Oei)
Looking for a Beach House? Check Your Risk First.
A new report from the insurance industry names the historic town of Galveston, Texas as the riskiest place to buy a beach house in the United States.
![Sign about water purification process mounted on water treatment plant in Santa Clara, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_310760399_Editorial_Use_Only.jpeg.webp?itok=gOXlx96a)
A Model for Wastewater Recycling in San Francisco
Decentralized wastewater recycling systems take water conservation a step further by reducing the need for external infrastructure and keeping water recycling and reuse -in-house.’
![Fire burning on hillside behind house in Azusa, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1795511017.jpg.webp?itok=PIampD7E)
Can Insurance Woes Finally End Sprawl?
Environmental risks are becoming too much for the home insurance industry to bear. Could this be the first signs of the collapse and reversal of sprawling land use patterns?
![Sandbags stacked in front of a red door on a brick building with ground in front flooded with water](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_96317286.jpeg.webp?itok=KLxJAgcd)
Study: FEMA Buyout Program Could be Accelerating Segregation
A new analysis of the relocation patterns of households that participate in FEMA’s flood buyout program reveals a pattern of increased racial segregation.
![Red "Unstable Cliffs - Stay Back" sign on tall Pacific coast cliff](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_327984773.jpeg.webp?itok=Kgmg3Mn7)
Coastal Climate Resilience to Receive $2.6 Billion Federal Investment
The Biden Administration announced the second massive investment of federal funds for coastal resilience on June 6. The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $3.3 billion to NOAA. In March, the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act added $562 billion.
![View of green carrot field against backdrop of arid Southwest mountains](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_182112962.jpeg.webp?itok=q8beD11n)
Southwest Coming to Grips With Water Crisis
Will banning lawns and limiting water use be enough as new communities continue to sprout up across the drying west?
![San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1132152734.jpg.webp?itok=lhiqq-uo)
NRDC: Saving Transit is ‘Essential Climate Strategy’
Supporting California’s public transit systems is key to fighting climate change and boosting the state’s economy.
![Fly fisherman standing in small creek in Colorado surrounded by trees](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_200072445.jpeg.webp?itok=22844oC0)
Colorado Supreme Court Denies Access to Riverbeds
The state doesn’t seem ready to reverse its famously restrictive aquatic access policies anytime soon.
Pagination
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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