Lawsuits

Agriculture

Federal Appeals Court Orders EPA to Ban Harmful Pesticide

The ruling puts another stain on former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's legacy as it rebukes his denial of a petition to ban a pesticide that causes neurodevelopmental damage in children. Pruitt had rejected his own scientists' recommendation.

August 14, 2018 - The New York Times

Electric Cars

Oregon Supreme Court Rejects Challenge by AAA to Stop Electric Vehicle Rebates

A controversial new sales tax on motor vehicles in a state with no sales taxes survived a court challenge. As a result, Oregon consumers will have another reason to consider purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle: receiving up to a $5,000 rebate.

August 9, 2018 - Utility Dive

Pumping Gas

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court

A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

July 25, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Bay Bridge

Taxpayer Group's Lawsuit Could Repeal Toll Hike on Bay Area Bridges

A California taxpayers association has challenged the June passage of a regional ballot measure because it didn't receive two-thirds support from voters, although two prior voter-approved bridge toll increases also fell short of a super-majority.

July 12, 2018 - The Mercury News

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Big Oil Wins Climate Change Lawsuits

The courts are no place to be deciding on the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change, ruled a Northern California federal district court judge in a "stinging defeat" to San Francisco and Oakland that wanted Big Oil to pay mitigation costs.

June 28, 2018 - The New York Times

26-Year-Old Civil Rights Complaint Finally Ends

The legal controversy over the Genesee Power Plant in Flint, Michigan has finally ended, with a court forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better investigate and resolve complaints of environmental discrimination.

June 19, 2018 - Pacific Standard

Metrobus

Sued for Gentrification

A lawsuit against the District of Columbia claims deliberate actions to attract "creative" workers discriminates against low-income and African American residents.

June 18, 2018 - DCist

New York City Agrees to Pay $2 Billion on Public Housing

A lawsuit and the resulting settlement forces the city of New York to improve the state of its public housing.

June 12, 2018 - Associated Press via Crain's New York Business

Mobile Social Media

Housing Advocates Sue Facebook for Discriminatory Housing Ads

A long-brewing controversy has finally resulted in legal repercussions for Facebook.

March 29, 2018 - Curbed

Wheelchair ramp

House Bill 'Guts' ADA Enforcement for Public Places

Designed to thwart predatory lawsuits, the bill could make it easier for businesses to ignore barriers to access, disability rights advocates say.

March 10, 2018 - The Washington Post

Breaking: Uber and Waymo Settle Self-Driving Tech Lawsuit

A highly anticipated lawsuit only spent a few closely scrutinized days in court before competing self-driving car companies Uber and Waymo settled.

February 9, 2018 - The Mercury News

Road Closures and Lawsuits: Local Roads Cause a Legal Controversy in New Jersey

It's a familiar story: local residents don't want commuters cutting through their neighborhoods, and commuters are pushing back.

February 5, 2018 - NorthJersey.com

St. Louis Light Rail

Lawsuit Settled, Public Money in Hand: Arena Renovations Moves Forward in St. Louis

St. Louis seems to be a never-ending source of stadium financing controversy.

December 14, 2017 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Air Pollution

U.S. EPA Misses Deadline for Air Quality Maps; 14 States Sue

The legal battles over the Trump Administration's handling of environmental regulations at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fired up again this week.

December 9, 2017 - SFGate

Northern California Wilidfires

Wine Country Wildfires Put Spotlight on Transmission Lines

No cause has yet been attributed to California's deadliest wildfires, but the connections to fallen power lines and exploding transformers, maintained by PG&E, have been exposed in a series of reports by the Bay Area News Group.

October 23, 2017 - The Mercury News

Intersection

Confronting Wisconsin's $1.1 Billion Highway Widening Proposal

A coalition of environmentalists, civil rights activists, and other community interests teamed up to successfully oppose a Milwaukee highway widening proposal. In an interview, one of the leading lawyers discusses his work.

October 23, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

4th of July Parade

NAACP Lawsuit Targets the Trump Administration Over 2020 Census Preparation

The NAACP does not believe the Trump Administration intends to make an honest count of the country's minority populations when it comes time to perform the 2020 Census.

October 7, 2017 - The Washington Post

I-94

Wisconsin's $1.1 Billion Highway Widening Project on the Ropes

The proposed widening of I-94 in Milwaukee is a $1.1 billion chunk of a $6.4 billion road widening program in the region. The NAACP sued the project as a matter of environmental justice.

October 5, 2017 - Wisconsin Gazette

Hoover Dam Downstream

Lawsuit Would Recognize the Human Rights of the Colorado River

Corporations have rights in the United States, and an organization called Deep Green Resistance is going to federal court in Colorado to argue that rivers should too.

October 2, 2017 - The New York Times

San Francisco Bay

Battle of the Bay: S.F. and Oakland Sue Oil Companies Over Sea Level Rise

Two California cities are going after oil companies with a legal argument that recalls the legislation against big tobacco companies in the 1990s.

September 22, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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Planning for Universal Design

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