"After a few years of progress, a new national ranking of state energy efficiency policies confirms that Ohio is now falling fast behind competing states," reports David Beach.
Beach provides the history of how Ohio fell from its position of leadership in energy efficiency: "In 2008, the Ohio General Assembly voted almost unanimously to require investor-owned utilities to support the expansion of energy efficiency and renewable energy….In 2013, the state was named 'most improved' by the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, a policy ranking by the influential American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)."
Yet that changed in 2014, when the state's General Assembly "passed SB 310, which placed a freeze on the clean energy requirements and called for a panel to study whether the freeze should be permanent." An article by Anastasia Pantsios reports that the study panel is stacked with opponents of clean energy.
The latest ACEEE scorecard took notice, and "Ohio dropped seven spots to a tie for 25th place in the ranking, making it one of the states to fall the furthest in 2014." Then there was this ignominious mark: "The ACEEE scorecard gave Ohio 0 out of a possible 9 points for transportation policies."
FULL STORY: Back to the carbon age: Ohio falls in ranking of state energy efficiency policies
The 'Marshall Plan for Middle America' Plans $600 Million in Clean Energy Investments
A coalition of leaders in the Appalachian region recently released the "Marshall Plan for Middle America" to create jobs and transition the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky away from fossil fuels.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
The El Respiro / Respire event at USC uses a large-scale human geochoreography to demand an urgent and equitable transition to green energy, blending art, activism, and community engagement to amplify the message of climate justice.
January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research