News

November 3, 2011

Environmental Defense's Jim Marston on the Carbon War Room's Goals & Priorities

Jim Marston of the Environmental Defense Fund details his involvement with Richard Branson's Carbon War Room, a entrepreneurial environmental think-tank aimed at tackling global warming through market-driven solutions. The Planning Report asks Marston how he identifies barriers to change and how he's developed financing mechanisms for energy efficient building upgrades.

November 3, 2011

LADWP’s Ron Nichols: We Need Capital Investment

Los Angeles' power and water infrastructure system is aging, and a spirit of environmental responsibility is driving the LADWP to make bold changes. Addressing these developments, however, requires significant capital investment. The current economic and political climate makes advocating for expensive investments a daunting challenge. In a recent talk, LADWP General Manager Ron Nichols explained the situation and his approach.

November 3, 2011

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom: Regaining California’s Place as America’s Opportunity Capital

Snap out of it, California! Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom spoke with Bill Allen, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, on the trajectories of the California economy. The Golden State once led the U.S. in job growth, but these figures have slumped since the 1980s. Lt. Gov. Newsom holds that the green economy, trade, manufacturing, and a skilled workforce will play strongly towards ensuring California's future prosperity.

October 12, 2011

“What’s the Rush?”: Should Football Stadiums Have Expedited Environmental Reviews By Courts?

Warren Olney, California State Senator Alex Padilla, and David Pettit deliberate the future of CEQA reform through AB 900 and SB 292. The conversation took place before Governor Brown signed both bills into law. Still, it illustrates that uncertainties that surround such action. Have large development projects, effectively, freed themselves of environmental scrutiny?

October 11, 2011

Richard Katz: High-Speed Rail’s Moment of Truth; Legislators Should Step Back

Richard Katz, Board Chairman of Metrolink and former California High-Speed Rail panel member, speaks candidly on the challenges rail faces in Southern California. While High-Speed Rail deals with financial and legal uncertainties, Metrolink thrives under new management.

October 10, 2011

Terry O’Day Exits Environment Now for NRG & Electric Car Market

Terry O'Day talks about his leading Environment Now and explains his new position with eVgo and NRG. O'Day sees Southern California as being on the cusp of an electric vehicle transformation. This time, the market is ready.

October 10, 2011

Larry Kaplan: Redistricting Reflects The State’s Demographic and Economic New Realities

The LA County redistricting debate, according to management consultant Larry Kaplan, says more about the shifting socio/demographic complexion of the United States than it does about politics. Gentrification in cities will shift political power to the outer suburbs where growth has been more drastic in recent decades. These changes eventually are reflected in who sits in our halls of power.

October 7, 2011

The Future of Utility-Scale Renewable Energy in California

From the CleanTech OC 2011 Annual Conference and Expo comes this conversation between Marcie Edwards, Michael Peevey, Tim Olson, Stephen Mullenix, and Guy Blanchard on renewable utilities in California. The panelists focus on whether the regulatory bodies create certainty or ambiguity in the California renewables market.

October 7, 2011

Congress: Partisanship Hogties Federal Transportation Funding

US Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon has staunchly supported public investment in transportation systems, water infrastructure, and livable cities. With the House in apparent gridlock, however, passing what have traditionally been banal, bipartisan bills is now a game of high-stakes political chicken. The congressman discusses where infrastructure bills are now and what we can expect next from Washington.

October 7, 2011

German Solar Entrepreneurs Assess California

Boris von Bormann, Wade Webb, Brade Meikle, Tom Buttgenbach, Rugerro Schleicher-Tappeser, and Boris Schubert explore the state of the solar industry today. How are development projects changing as solar PV becomes more competitive? What should experienced entrepreneurs from Europe understand about the California market and development process? Permitting delays, in particular, make California a difficult place for new solar PV developments. Innovative business models, however, are creating opportunities.

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