This segment form Oregon Public Broadcasting looks at the rise of wind farms in rural Oregon.
"Companies like GE and Seimens make turbines; the federal government offers utilities big financial incentives to build wind farms; and as Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, hundreds of windmills have gone up in Oregon alone."
"Gary Hackett: 'The land in Sherman County is basically dry land farming. And the population of the whole county is 1800 people. So the wind farm has brought tremendous opportunity to the area in the form of jobs, opportunities for folks to get a new career path and stay home.'"
"Plus, farmers can get $6,000 a year or more for each turbine. And while these truly are massive machines, their footprint is small -- about the size of a shed -- meaning farmers can still work the land."
"In an effort to reduce reliance on foreign oil -- and to battle climate change -- Oregon has told utilities that a quarter of their power needs to come from renewables by the year 2025."
FULL STORY: Wind Power: A Very Green But Very Intermittent Source Of Power
Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal for First Time
Solar and wind power generated close to a third of U.S. electricity supplies in 2024.
New York Offshore Wind Farm Offers Hope for Nascent Industry
The first commercial-scale offshore wind installation in the United States is powering roughly 70,000 homes in Long Island, New York.
Study Assesses How Wind Farms Affect Property Values
A new study shows that wind farms have a small but temporary negative impact on nearby property prices.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service