• Tree Population Falling in Cities
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   September 2012
• Despite their aesthetic, economic and safety benefits, trees are disappearing from city sidewalks. Why?
• 6 Comments

• Isaac Leaves Nearly a Million Without Power
• Source: CNN   |   Gulf Coast   |   August 31, 2012
• More than 827,000 customers -- down from 915,000 earlier in the day -- had no electricity across Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi Thursday.

• Drilling in Alaska Gets Obama's Approval
• Source: Anchorage Daily News   |   Alaska   |   August 31, 2012
• The Obama administration made a surprise announcement that it will allow Shell Oil Co. to begin drilling in the Chukchi Sea before its unique oil spill containment barge is ready -- just not deep enough to reach oil.

• 2-Year Moratorium on Park Closures Passes California Legislature
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   California   |   August 31, 2012
• The move comes in the wake of the state parks funding scandal. Legislators propose allocating $30 million to keep parks running.

• Portland Loo Solves the Problem of Public Toilets
• BY: Brian Peteritas   |   Portland, Ore.   |   August 30, 2012
• The city built a solar-powered, not-so-private restroom that deters illegal activity.

• Tsunami Debris Cleanup May Cost More Than Oregon Has
• Source: Oregonian   |   Oregon   |   August 29, 2012
• So far, the state has paid for the expenses of removing debris by borrowing money originally designated for other projects or expenditures.

• New Fuel Standards Nearly Double Car Efficiency
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   August 28, 2012
• The White House announced new regulations that should save Americans money and cut carbon emissions.
• 2 Comments

• GOP Energy Plan Unveiled by Wyoming Gov. Mead
• Source: Casper Star-Tribune   |   Nation   |   August 28, 2012
• The policy calls for state control of the energy industry to be prioritized, an increase in energy production and a reversal of several measures supported by the Obama administration, especially relating to fossil fuels.
• 1 Comments

• Pennsylvania Proposes Stronger Oil and Gas Regulations
• Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette   |   Pennsylvania   |   August 28, 2012
• But it's too early to tell if the more than 100 proposed changes in a 23-page draft "concept paper" from the state Department of Environmental Protection will eventually provide those protections, environmental groups say.

• The Bottom-Line Benefits of Greening a City
• BY: Stephen Goldsmith   |   August 27, 2012
• Value engineering can reduce the costs of capital projects. But it also can save money over the long haul.
• 2 Comments

• Droughts, Lawns and Our Water Supply
• BY: Tom Arrandale   |   August 27, 2012
• Xeriscaping and other outdoor water conservation efforts are starting to spread to unlikely regions.
• 3 Comments

• Climate-Change Discussion Not Easy for Zoos
• Source: New York Times   |   Nation   |   August 27, 2012
• Zoo managers have been wrestling with how aggressive to be in educating visitors on the perils of climate change, taking pains not to alienate them with bleak messages.

• Farmer Fails to Stop Keystone Pipeline in Texas Court
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Texas   |   August 24, 2012
• Lamar County Court-at-Law Judge Bill Harris found TransCanada Corp. had the right to condemn a farmer's property and take the land it needed to install the pipeline.
• 2 Comments

• Philadelphia Joins Cities with New Zoning Codes
• Source: Philadelphia Inquirer   |   Philadelphia   |   August 24, 2012
• Many large cities, including Chicago, Miami, and Denver, have recently overhauled their zoning codes to reflect changes in the way Americans live and work. Philadelphia's code has been similarly crafted to make its neighborhoods more walkable, discourage parking, and allow residents to enlarge their homes and add roof decks more easily.

• States' Drilling Powers Would Expand Under Romney's Energy Plan
• Source: Businessweek   |   Nation   |   August 23, 2012
• Mitt Romney would give states control over energy production on federal lands within their borders and allow drilling off the East Coast as part of his plan to reduce crude oil imports.
• 4 Comments