Natural Resources Defense Council
Green Hydrogen, Plus Storage, Key to Los Angeles' Plan for Carbon-Free Electricity
The Los Angeles municipal utility will convert a Utah coal power plant to run on natural gas in 2025. According to a proposal unveiled Dec. 10, the plant will incrementally be converted to run entirely on hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, by 2045.
California Cities That Plan Housing Might Now Have to Build it
If Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 as expected, downzonings, density reductions, housing construction moratoriums, and housing caps will become illegal.
Big Oil Not Happy With Methane Regulation Rollback
The Trump administration's rollback on August 29 of an Obama-era regulation to reduce methane emissions in the production and distribution of oil and natural gas did not sit well with large oil and gas companies who see value in reducing emissions.
Automakers Required to Increase EV Sales in Colorado
Due to the adoption of the Zero-Emission Vehicle standard by the state's air quality commission last week, there will be a much greater selection of electric vehicles available for interested Colorado consumers. Sales should reach 5% by 2023.
California Takes Step Toward Replacing Gas with Electricity in Buildings
Two weeks after Berkeley became the nation's first city to outlaw natural gas lines in new buildings, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to update an old regulation to allow funding for 'fuel switching' from gas to electric appliances.
Another Berkeley 'First': Banning Natural Gas Lines in New Buildings
On Tuesday night, the City Council of Berkeley, Calif., unanimously voted to ban natural gas infrastructure from new buildings starting next year, the first city in the U.S. to pass such an ordinance. Fifty cities in the state could be next.
New Jersey to Price Carbon Emissions from Electricity Generation
When the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection adopted new rules for power plants on June 17, the Garden State becomes the tenth to participate in a cap-and-trade program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
How Much Should Electric Vehicles Be Charged in Lieu of Gas Tax?
Currently, electric vehicles pay a $17.50 annual registration fee in Illinois. A bill to double the 19 cents per gallon gas tax, unchanged in almost 30 years, would also increase the EV fee over 57-fold to $1,000.
The New World Leader in the Fight Against Climate Change
With the Trump administration's abdication of its predecessor's position on fighting climate change, a void has been left in global climate change leadership. One expert believes that China may have already filled the leadership role.
If Road Pricing Is Inherently Unfair and Regressive...
Road pricing has its faults as a revenue measure, but it needs to be compared to ten elements of the current system of paying for transportation, including hidden subsidies, says Joe Cortright, an urban economist with Portland-based City Observatory.
Equity Considerations Delay Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles
After discussing a staff report on road pricing at their Jan. 24 meeting, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority directors paused to weigh the equity implications of charging motorists to drive on roads.
New York City Polystyrene Ban Took Effect New Year's Day
Thanks to two recent New York State court rulings, disposable food and beverage containers will no longer be made from polystyrene in the nation's largest city. The ban was originally proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in February 2013.
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Propose Revision of Wetlands Definition
Fulfilling a promise he made as a candidate, the Trump administration proposed a redefinition of what is classified as a wetland, with the result being the loss of federal protection of millions of acres of waterways and wetlands.
Mixed Results on Renewable Energy Initiatives
Two western states had very similar renewable energy initiatives on the ballot sponsored by NextGen America requiring utilities to get 50 percent of electricity by 2030. It passed in Nevada but was rejected in Arizona.
Sacramento Hopes to Lead Transportation Emission Reductions by Example
As California tries to stem its increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, its capital, Sacramento, may prove to be a model for other cities as it embraces electric vehicles and strategies to reduce driving.
Arizona and Nevada to Vote on Renewable Energy Initiatives
Voters in two Western states next month will determine whether to require energy utilities to increase their share of electricity from renewable sources to 50 percent by 2030. In Arizona, the campaign has become the costliest in state history.
Five Key Energy Bills the California Legislature May Decide this Week
Energy stakeholders in California are watching five important bills to see which go forward with three weeks remaining in the legislative season. One would require the state to generate all electricity from renewable sources by 2045.
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.
Paying for Climate Change Mitigation at the Pump in California
Two market-based programs add about a quarter to every gallon of fuel purchased in the Golden State, but don't expect to see the prices listed anywhere. Furthermore, costs to comply with the Low Carbon Fuel Standard are expected to increase.
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.
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
