Fossil Fuels

Toyota’s Hybrid Popularity Outpaces Production Worldwide
Soaring global demand for Toyota's hybrid vehicles is straining the automaker’s supply chain, leading to widespread delays as component shortages and limited production capacity challenge its ability to keep up.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

How Smart Street Lights Can Help Cities Achieve Sustainability Goals
Switching to energy-efficient LEDs and using tech to program when and how street lighting operates can save cities millions in electricity expenses and bring down carbon emissions.

Alberta’s Orphan Well Cleanup Plan Sparks Debate Over Use of Public Funds
Alberta’s upcoming plan to address nearly 80,000 abandoned oil wells has sparked controversy over the potential use of public funds, despite government claims that taxpayers won’t be footing the bill.

Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.

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.

Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas
The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting MAGA platform.

Trump Administration Unfreezes Pennsylvania Climate Funding Amidst Lawsuits
Funding for air and water quality programs still at risk.

Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas
The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting the MAGA platform.

California Bills Would Rein in Data Centers’ Energy Use
A series of proposed bills seeks to limit ratepayer increases and ensure data centers report their energy usage and electricity sources.

BLM Approves Controversial Oil and Gas Leases on Navajo Land
The parcels are located near a sensitive archaeological site, but some Indigenous leaders approve of the move, which will bring in millions in revenue.

National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order
An executive order from the Department of the Interior could gut protections for public lands established under the Antiquities Act.

Building a Cleaner Future: Financing the Coal-to-Clean Transition
The Coal-to-Clean Initiative is an effort to fund the early retirement of coal plants in emerging markets, urging public-private collaboration to achieve a just energy transition that limits global warming and supports sustainable growth.

Trump Attacks Environmental Rules Amid Flurry of Executive Orders
Several executive orders signed on Monday seek to repeal Obama- and Biden-era environmental regulations and roll back goals to encourage the shift to electric vehicles.

Healing the Land: Collaborative Effort to Reclaim Orphan Well Sites
The Well Done Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are partnering to plug over 110 orphan wells across four National Wildlife Refuges, restoring habitats, protecting ecosystems, and reducing methane emissions.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning
An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

How an Environmental Liability Tax Could Solve the Orphan Well Crisis
An Environmental Liability Tax (ELT) on oil extraction would fund orphaned well cleanup, shift financial responsibility to oil companies, and address the environmental and public health risks posed by abandoned wells.

Silent Threat: America’s Abandoned Oil Wells and the Danger Beneath
Abandoned oil and gas wells across the U.S. pose significant environmental, health, and safety risks, with many leaking hazardous gases and chemicals, highlighting regulatory failures and the immense financial burden of remediation.

AI Uncovers Forgotten Oil Wells: A High-Tech Solution to Environmental Hazards
Researchers are using artificial intelligence, drones, and sensors to locate and assess undocumented orphaned oil and gas wells, addressing their environmental and climate risks by identifying high-priority sites for plugging and methane mitigation.
Pagination
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland