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The decision vacates a USDOT rule that would have required states to establish emission reduction plans.
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) does not have the authority to issue a recent emissions reduction rule, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. The lawsuit was brought by the state of Texas. “In a separate lawsuit a group of 21 states filed in Kentucky, the Federal Highway Administration agreed to extend the deadline for states to submit initial CO2 targets and reports until March 29, 2024.”
The argument hinges on Congress’s rejection of a GHG performance measurement when the infrastructure law was first developed, thus “making the Administration’s rulemaking an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country,” said Representatives Sam Graves and Rick Crawford in a statement.
Steven Higashide, director of the Clean Transportation Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says the rule “adds basic transparency to transportation planning processes that can be hard to understand, and it’s disheartening to see any states fight to make the process more opaque.”
FULL STORY: Texas court strikes down federal rule requiring states to monitor and set targets for highway GHG emissions
How Zoning Affects Greenhouse Gas Emissions
As the urgency of the climate crisis increases, a paper in the Notre Dame Law Review argues that increased density is not a universally effective strategy to reduce emissions and that different strategies are needed for low-carbon places versus high-carbon ones.
HUD Announces Grants for Efficiency Retrofits in Multifamily Housing
A new program will fund solar panels, heat pumps, and other measures aimed at reducing emissions, improving air quality and resident health, and reducing heating and cooling costs.
Seattle Mayor Calls for ‘Low-Pollution Neighborhoods’
An executive order signed last week consolidates actions the city plans to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.
New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.
Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.
Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.
Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?
New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
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.
