Climate & Resilience
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Cities must act now to secure remaining IIJA funds: NLC
Local governments should “maximize this moment” to strengthen resilience and climate readiness before the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires, a National League of Cities legislative director said.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 15, 2025 -
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Harris County, Texas, sues EPA over canceled Solar for All funds
County officials say the loss of $54 million in clean energy grants jeopardizes staffing, planning and partnerships built around the program, forcing major adjustments to local operations and budgets.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 14, 2025 -
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TrendlineTop 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
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5 things keeping emergency managers up at night
Emergency managers are stretched thin as climate disasters and cyberthreats grow. Chronic underfunding and mission creep have left the nation’s front line unprepared, a Deloitte-NEMA study says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 8, 2025 -
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Newsom orders statewide coordination on climate disaster risk
California agencies will jointly develop tools to help local governments and utilities withstand economic losses and insurance disruptions caused by worsening wildfires and other disasters.
By Zoya Mirza • Oct. 8, 2025 -
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Lawsuit challenges EPA rollback of solar program serving low-income communities
Community and labor groups argue the EPA’s termination of the $7 billion Solar for All program strips local governments of critical clean energy funding.
By Diana DiGangi • Oct. 7, 2025 -
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Communities brace for fallout as DOE terminates nearly $7.6B in clean energy project funding
Cuts to 223 projects across 16 states will mean job losses, higher energy costs and weaker grid reliability, experts and state agencies warn.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 3, 2025 -
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DOE cancels $7.6B in clean energy funding, hitting projects in 16 states
DOE officials say the cancellations target projects that were rushed through with weak documentation, while critics argue the move is political and will drive up costs for cities and consumers.
By Robert Walton • Oct. 2, 2025 -
Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
Top smart city conferences in 2026
Technology, housing, climate action, transportation, public safety and more take center stage at events for local government leaders in 2026.
By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Oct. 1, 2025 -
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5 steps to disaster-proof your city as FEMA pulls back
FEMA is stretched thin, a GAO report warns. Its author offers advice for local leaders to respond strategically and build resilience now.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 30, 2025 -
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How NYC is turning ambitious climate goals into results
At NYC Climate Week, the city’s climate office director highlighted tools like FloodNet and the NYC Accelerator as proof the city’s integrated approach to energy, equity and resilience is working.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 25, 2025 -
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Cities and states split on EPA proposal to repeal endangerment finding
On the final day of public comment, mayors and attorneys general submitted opposing letters on the rule that has shaped federal climate policy since 2009.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 24, 2025 -
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5 forces driving building retrofits and how cities can lead the shift
With nearly 1.5 billion square feet of aging stock in sustainability-focused markets, local governments are positioned to accelerate decarbonization, a JLL report finds.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 23, 2025 -
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Newsom signs California energy package into law
The new provisions seek to address rising electricity costs, wildfire mitigation and climate funding. The package includes a blueprint for a regional Western electricity market and requires community air monitoring in select locations.
By Meris Lutz • Sept. 23, 2025 -
Permission granted by City of Charlotte
All-electric firehouse and net-zero police station help Charlotte, N.C., meet climate goals
The city has invested $36 million to build the facilities, which align emergency response with an ambitious strategic energy initiative.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 18, 2025 -
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Cities can lead the way on resilient cooling, report says
Local officials have the tools to expand access to affordable cooling while boosting grid resilience and economic development, according to the Federation of American Scientists.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 17, 2025 -
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CenterPoint Energy courts Minnesota communities for networked geothermal pilot
The utility is hoping to prove to local governments that such decarbonization efforts can meet residents’ energy needs in a cold-weather climate.
By Brian Martucci • Sept. 16, 2025 -
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EPA moves to end greenhouse gas emissions reporting
Gutting the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program would strip local governments of information they rely on to hold polluters accountable and undermine efforts to protect residents’ health, climate advocates say.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 15, 2025 -
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9 ways the FEMA Act would reform federal disaster response
Cities are rallying behind the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act, which they say would cut red tape, accelerate recovery funding and strengthen resilience against future disasters.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 11, 2025 -
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Traffic cameras double as a hurricane-response system in this South Carolina county
By connecting existing cameras to an AI-powered command hub, a hurricane-prone county plans to track evacuation patterns, adjust routes on the fly and strengthen recovery planning.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 10, 2025 -
Danielle Ternes/Smart Cities Dive
Sponsored by TomTom[Podcast] Key trends in urban mobility transformation
In this podcast series, explore trending topics related to the larger theme of urban mobility transformation challenges and opportunities.
By Smart Cities Dive's studioID • Updated July 10, 2025 -
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13 state governors join coalition to promote EVs
The Affordable Clean Cars Coalition said it will push back against the Trump administration's policies of “putting polluters over people.”
By Dan Zukowski • Sept. 8, 2025 -
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New data tool helps Gulf Coast cities pursue disaster funding as federal resources shrink
The Urban Institute’s analysis gives local leaders information they can use to build cases for prevention and recovery support.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 28, 2025 -
Permission granted by Water Wise Gulf South
Deep Dive // Green infrastructureAfter Katrina, green infrastructure aims to supplement the rebuilt — but still vulnerable — levees
Residents and activists are forging resilient communities and implementing “flood mitigation by 1,000 cuts.”
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 27, 2025 -
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Hurricane Katrina’s legacy is a warning for today’s city leaders
Twenty years after New Orleans flooded, federal funding cuts mean local governments must strengthen hazard planning, engage communities and prioritize vulnerable residents to prevent another avoidable disaster, climate advocates say.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 22, 2025 -
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OpinionCalifornia’s clean mobility push is leaving low-income residents behind
E-bikes and e-scooters are among the cleanest and least expensive transportation modes. California can make equitable green mobility a reality.
By Marta Anadón Rosinach • Aug. 21, 2025
