Agriculture
Summertime Ethanol Restriction Lifted to Help Corn Farmers—But at What Cost?
President Trump made good on his promise last October to lift the E15 ban in time for the summer driving season. Not mentioned by the Des Moines Register are the downsides to allowing the higher ethanol blend to be sold during the summer, e.g., smog.
Report: Sprawl Affecting Farmers in Greater Washington Region
According to a recent report, the self-sufficiency of agriculture in the Washington, D.C. region is declining. Encroachment from suburban sprawl, driven by a region-wide housing crunch, is one causal factor.
U.S. Appeals Court: Climate Crisis Justifies California Clean Fuels Rule
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which requires fuel producers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020, has been opposed by corn ethanol producers and the oil industry since its inception in 2011.
Meeting the Challenge of Feeding 10 Billion People Sustainably in 2050
With world population to grow by about 2 billion by 2050, and with more people eating higher on the food chain as nations develop economically, can world agriculture reduce its carbon footprint? A new World Resources Institute report shows how.
Trump Announcement Unites Big Oil and Environmentalists
President Trump announced at a campaign rally in Iowa that he would lift the ban on summertime sales of a 15 percent blend of ethanol, expected to increase smog levels. Both environmentalists and the oil industry oppose the action.
Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy
For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.
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.
Voters to Decide on Repair of Vital Aqueduct for San Joaquin Valley
California voters in November will have the opportunity to help repair the Friant-Kern Canal, damaged by subsidence, as well as invest in watershed conservation programs, by passing a citizen-initiated $8.9 billion general obligation bond measure.
When Pennsylvania's 'Right to Farm' Means Living With the Pigs Next Door
New residents to formerly agricultural area are trying to shut down a hog-feeding operation, but so far without much success.
The Real Cost of Clean Water in One Kansas Town
Pretty Prairie has water with very high levels of nitrates, and lots of farmers that need to use nitrates if they want to keep the local economy going.
Trump Administration Would Slash 22 Percent of Farm Bill's Conservation Funding
The Farm Bill is one of the federal government's biggest, most controversial (yet still intractable) bills. The Trump Administration has plans for change.
Why Are the Feds Suddenly in Favor of Raising the Shasta Dam?
Despite state opposition and potential violations of California law, the Trump Administration has revived a project that was deemed impracticable only a few years ago.
Washington's Not-So-Green Marijuana Industry
After Washington legalized marijuana in 2012, an indoor cultivation industry has grown to a sizable presence in the state's environmental footprint.
Study: Agriculture's Carbon Output Higher Than Previously Thought
Over the span of history, agricultural uses have released nearly as much carbon into the atmosphere as actual deforestation. New problem areas are still appearing in places like Brazil.
Film Highlights Conservationists' Diversity
This documentary complicates what can seem like a stark partisan divide on the environment, highlighting the many heartland residents who do conservation work.
Agrihoods Still Proving Popular
Agrihoods emerged in the 1990s as a master-planned alternative to the golf-centered communities of the past. Many of these developments are going strong, and gaining in popularity.
There Are Some Major Irrigation Problems We Need to Talk About
We can all do better when it comes to water.
A New Green Thumb Tool for Planners
The Greenprint Resource Hub aims to integrate open space, parks, and agriculture into city and regional planning efforts.
As Medical Cannabis Grows, So Does the Space Needed for It
Despite its medicinal benefits, cannabis will negatively impact the environment if we don’t plan accordingly.
The Future of Farming is Millennials
An aging population of farmers may give way to a generation of young entrepreneurs who see the value and values of growing food.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
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
