Climate & Resilience: Page 9

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    Nearly half of US residents breathe unhealthy air: report

    American Lung Association officials call for city leaders to speak up for federal support of air quality research amid record pollution levels.

    By • April 23, 2025
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    Atlanta to launch Climate Resilience Action Plan

    The city plans to move forward even as federal support is uncertain and the plan’s focus on energy burden equity has put the program in the Trump administration’s crosshairs.

    By • April 21, 2025
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    Trendline

    Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards

    Cities are using these levers to meet climate goals and address everything from data centers to building decarbonization.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    EPA confirms recycling, waste infrastructure grants on track for disbursement

    EPA will move forward with awarding the second round of solid waste and recycling grants. The news comes after uncertainty over the status of numerous federal funding opportunities for the waste and recycling sectors.

    By Megan Quinn • April 15, 2025
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    More public EV charging, including curbside, envisioned in Chicago plan

    “By prioritizing equity and public input, we’re creating a roadmap for electric transportation that serves every neighborhood and helps drive down emissions across Chicago,” the city’s transportation department commissioner said.

    By • April 14, 2025
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    Prepare now to protect urban forests from storms

    As FEMA funding fades and disasters intensify, risk assessments, standing contracts and debris-management plans are crucial, one conservation director says.

    By • April 14, 2025
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    Partnerships, density, climate-directed spending put Cincinnati on the path to sustainability

    Redirecting community expenditures have helped Cincinnati drive climate progress and operational cost savings.

    By Michael Keating • April 11, 2025
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    Jacob Wallace/Smart Cities Dive
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    New York City pauses curbside organics enforcement

    The city issued tens of thousands of warnings before enforcement began on April 1, but Mayor Eric Adams has since paused that plan through the end of the year for most building owners.

    By Jacob Wallace • Updated April 21, 2025
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    Denver adds flexibility to building performance guidelines

    Following public input, including some backlash from building owners, the new rules will push back compliance deadlines, remove electrification report requirements and reduce penalty rates, the city said. 

    By Joe Burns • April 9, 2025
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    America’s aging water infrastructure faces new threats

    The U.S. urgently needs to increase funding to shore up facilities, experts say, as climate change and emerging contaminants like PFAS pose growing threats.

    By Julie Strupp • April 1, 2025
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Preparing manufactured homes for extreme weather: 5 barriers

    Zoning, financing and other regulations can leave this more affordable form of housing vulnerable. Some communities are addressing the risk.

    By Leslie Nemo • April 1, 2025
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    New Mexico occupational safety bureau advances heat safety rule

    If passed, the state would be the sixth to implement its own heat-related guidance, after a federal standard appears to have lost steam.

    By Zachary Phillips • March 31, 2025
  • A destroyed home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 30, 2024 near Black Mountain, North Carolina.
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    Sean Rayford/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    FEMA disaster preparedness role could decrease following Trump executive order

    The administration plans to publish a national resilience strategy with further details within 90 days, it said.

    By Ryan Kushner • March 28, 2025
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    For some cities, the path to sustainability, resilience starts with strong emergency response systems

    One of the keys to achieving sustainability goals is by developing a comprehensive framework that can help communities become more resilient.

    By Michael Keating • March 27, 2025
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    US infrastructure gets a C, its highest grade ever, in ASCE report card

    Infrastructure needs long-term, continuous investment to maintain and continue to improve, however, the civil engineering group said. 

    By Michelle M. Havich • March 26, 2025
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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    Nearly 3,000 city leaders gathered in Washington last week. Here’s what they had to say.

    Mayors, council members and nonprofit leaders heard from Vice President JD Vance, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and others at the National League of Cities meeting.

    By • March 21, 2025
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    Opinion

    3 concerns about California’s neighborhood decarbonization pilot program

    Decarbonization is essential to achieve carbon neutrality, but tenants and low-income homeowners might pay a steep price due to factors they can’t control.

    By Teresa Linares • March 20, 2025
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    Column

    How cities are prioritizing transparency to combat climate change

    City leaders are creating climate change mitigation and adaptation action plans and turning to technology to help them stay on track and keep themselves accountable.

    By Francisco J. Conteras and Elizabeth Steward • March 19, 2025
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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    City leaders name housing, public safety and infrastructure as top issues

    The National League of Cities Congressional City Conference brought together 3,000 city leaders to discuss these issues, with appearances from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Vice President JD Vance.

    By • March 18, 2025
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    Retrieved from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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    EPA to end environmental justice programs, monitoring tools

    As part of the Trump administration’s end to environmental justice programs, it has cut off access to EJScreen, a monitoring tool used to track environmental justice metrics. 

    By Megan Quinn • March 14, 2025
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    EPA revisiting dozens of climate, environment rules in ‘day of deregulation’

    The agency said it would roll back a range of rules and programs, including some that are foundational to its efforts to address climate change. A new WOTUS definition is expected, as well as rollbacks to an emissions reporting program.

    By Jacob Wallace • March 13, 2025
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    DOT removes equity, environmental factors from IIJA funding decisions

    The move rolls back a Biden-era policy that included these considerations in decision-making criteria for infrastructure projects.

    By Julie Strupp • March 12, 2025
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    Recycling batteries and bulbs can help local governments hit their sustainability targets

    City and county administrators can take several steps to make their communities more sustainable, including using local companies for recycling needs.

    By Michael Keating • March 10, 2025
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    California wildfire air pollution insights coming from air sensor network

    Residents can track localized pollution, including particles from the wildfires that tore across Los Angeles in January, thanks to improvements in air quality sensor tech.

    By Kalena Thomhave • March 10, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    EPA $20B funding freeze leaves ‘green bank’ nonprofits unable to pay bills

    “Local projects across the country will be unable to move forward without legal intervention” if EPA or Citibank does not unfreeze the funds, a Climate United Fund spokesperson said.

    By Diana DiGangi • March 4, 2025
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    Pilot program in Salem explores ways to mitigate rising flood risks and fill insurance gaps

    The public-private pilot program is designed to explore and evaluate measures that could lower flood risks for homeowners and renters and develop a base model that could be replicated in other communities. 

    By • March 3, 2025