National Environmental Policy Act
A Win for ‘Keep it in the Ground’
Coal mining in Wyoming will take a major hit as a result of a U.S. Department of Interior plan to cease future leasing of coal mines in the nation's most productive coal mining basin. The decision casts a spotlight on the presidential election.
Misuse of Environmental Laws Betrays Their Intent
How laws written to protect natural resources and biodiversity are being reinterpreted by NIMBY groups to block development.
New Jersey Transit Extension Goes Back to the Drawing Board After Federal Reversal
The Federal Transit Administration rescinded a clearance it granted in 2007, and a planned extension of New Jersey light rail line will suffer the consequences.
Utah Oil Shale Extraction Dealt Major Setback
The Surface Transportation Board's approval in 2021 of a proposed 85-mile Uinta Basin Railway in Utah that would have enabled increased extraction of the world's largest source of oil shale was partially vacated by a federal appeals court last month.
NJ v. U.S. DOT: Cordon Pricing in Manhattan
The State of New Jersey filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday to halt the Manhattan cordon pricing project approved in June by the FHWA, charging that they violated the National Environmental Protection Act.
One Year After the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The potential of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is most unrealized as the federal government mobilizes the details of the $1.2 trillion bill. President Joe Biden signed the bill in November 2021.
What Is LOS?
Level of Service (LOS) defines how well vehicle traffic flows along a street or road. LOS is one of the most influential metrics in planning, with critical relevance for both land use and transportation planning.
Lawsuit Challenges PennDOT's NEPA Process on Erie Bayfront Parkway
Despite 80% of survey respondents wanting a reduction in volume on Erie's waterfront parkway and improved pedestrian and bicycle access to the city's waterfront, PennDOT plans instead to double traffic as part of a $120 million high-speed bypass.
Biden Selects Energy Secretary and New National Climate Advisor
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a U.C. Berkeley professor, is Biden's choice to lead the Energy Department. A new position, national climate advisor, will be filled by former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, current head of the NRDC.
The Environment Hangs in the Balance on Election Day
Both the presidential election and numerous state and local ballot measures will determine the future of environmental policy in the United States.
The Trump Administration's Trail of Broken Environmental Regulations
Critics of the Trump administration who chide the president for a lack of accomplishments should check the environmental record.
Trump's Latest Deregulatory Itch: The National Environmental Policy Act
In a move called "one of the biggest — and most audacious — deregulatory actions of the Trump administration," President Trump yesterday announced plans to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act for federal infrastructure projects.
Trump to Suspend Environmental Regulation for Economic Emergency
Reports from the White House indicate that the Trump administration is planning to rollback federal environmental protections to expedite highway and other projects.
New York City Congestion Pricing Confounded by Federal Delay
While New York City's congestion pricing scheme waits for needed federal approval, political support seems to waver.
Trump Administration Proposes Changes to National Environmental Policy Act
Sources report that proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act would limit the kinds of projects subject to federal environmental review, and remove climate change as a consideration for large infrastructure projects.
New U.S. DOT Policy Limits Page Length of Environmental Impact Statements
The U.S. Department of Transportation is following through President Trump's promises to ease the federal government's permitting and approvals processes for infrastructure projects.
Department of Interior Plans to Open 1 Million Acres in California to Fracking
The Bakersfield Office of the Bureau of Land Management released an environmental study that is the basis for undoing a 2013 de facto moratorium on fracking on federal lands in California. The Supplemental EIS triggers a 45-day public comment period.
Judge Halts Sales of New Coal Mining Leases on Federal Lands
Once again, the president's efforts to undo his predecessor's environmental legacy were thwarted by a court ruling. In this case, the Interior Department's failure to conduct an environmental review of a Trump executive order ran afoul of NEPA.
Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines
The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.
The Robert Moses Nexus to Amazon's Cancellation of Queens HQ2
Last week, Amazon abruptly canceled its decision to invest about $2.5 billion and bring 25,000 high-paying jobs to Queens. A scholar blames their abrupt decision on an arcane state bureaucracy tasked with preventing Robert Moses-like takings.
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
