Pacific Northwest
First Federal Funding for Hydrogen Hubs Awarded to California and Pacific Northwest
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on July 17 that the first grant to build the nation's seven proposed 'hydrogen hubs' would go to California. The ultimate goal is to decarbonize transportation fuels used in port operations.
Northwest Power Demand Could Surge as Data Centers, Transportation Electrification Ramps Up
New estimates project a steady increase in electricity demand due to population growth, data centers, and the shift to electric power in homes, buildings, and transportation.
The Nation's Most Advanced Secessionist Movement
Legislation supporting the Greater Idaho Movement, which would annex over half of neighboring Oregon, has advanced in the Idaho legislature.
Bill Gates' Nuclear Power Company Takes Giant Step in Cowboy State
A Wyoming coal power plant will be transformed by a company backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to run on nuclear power. With the signing of the bipartisan infrastructure act, $1.5 billion will help produce zero-emission power by 2028
In Extreme Heat Waves, Cities Need 'Social Resilience' to Help the Most Vulnerable
This summer's heat waves wreaked havoc on physical infrastructure, but also highlighted vulnerabilities in our social support systems.
WSDOT Report Outlines Plan for Cascadia High-Speed Rail
A regional high-speed rail network could be coming to the Pacific Northwest, linking cities from Oregon to British Columbia.
Seattle Could Be at the Forefront of the Mass Timber Industry
Cross-laminated timber offers a multitude of environmental and economic benefits. With the state’s resources and Seattle’s construction needs, the city is the ideal location for mass timber production to take off.
Mapping the Pacific Northwest's Changing Population
The Oregonian has published a new interactive mapping feature that allows users to map demographic changes to the Census tract level through Oregon and Washington.
Pacific Northwest Gears Up for Another Fossil Fuel Export Fight
Just two years after killing what would be the world's largest methanol plant at the Port of Tacoma, the project has reemerged at the Port of Kalama. According to the EIS for the plant, global CO2 emissions will be reduced, though increased locally.
No West Coast Climate Bloc
Had election results proved favorable in Oregon and Washington, UC Berkley Law Climate Program Director Ethan Elkind suggested that the two states could join California to form a West Coast Climate Bloc. Oregon came through, but not Washington.
Even in the Pacific Northwest, Developments Conflict With Water
The Seattle region would seem to have plenty of water to go around. That doesn't mean there aren't environmental consequences for more development.
Regional Planning for Growth on Display in the Pacific Northwest
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) released a new "Regional Centers Framework."
Pacific NW States to Study Regional High-Speed Rail
The proposal promises a one-hour commute between Vancouver and Seattle.
National or Regional? Finding American Identity in Architecture
In an extended discussion, Keith Eggener examines what it means for a work of architecture to be "naturally" American, and why looking at modern American styles through an intensively regional lens may be unhelpful.
Oregon Voters Support LNG Export Facility
A proposed $7.5 billion facility to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Oregon's south coast received a resounding vote of support on Tuesday from Coos County voters who rejected a ballot measure that would have banned its construction.
A New Earthquake Warning System for the Pacific Northwest
Oregon and Washington are implementing sensors that can detect and report an earthquake to communities with as much as a minute or two of warning.
The Scary, Likely Event of the 'Really Big One' in the Pacific Northwest
Forget Hollywood's proclivity for destroying Los Angeles and San Francisco in movies like San Andreas—the greatest seismic threat in North America is in the Pacific Northwest.
From Bedroom Communities to Jet Engine Communities
More and more people working in the San Francisco Bay Area are opting for cheaper housing outside the region. Some are going way outside the region, commuting by airplane from Portland or Seattle.
A Region-by-Region Look at "Shovel-Readiness"
NPR looks at a few of the areas that have submitted proposals for high-speed rail funding.
A Crowded Future for the Pacific Northwest
Population growth estimates foresee the equivalent of an additional 15 Seattles concentrating in the Pacific Northwest over the next one hundred years. How the region handles this growth is up for debate, but with a distinct sense of urgency.
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.
Roaring Fork Transportation Authority
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
