Zoning regulations have lately come under fire for making cities less dense and driving up the cost of new homes. State legislatures are increasingly responding by preempting aspects of local zoning authority. But despite its real problems, both now and historically, local zoning power remains an important tool among cities’ […]
Energy Efficiency
66 posts
On December 5, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a proposed rule to weaken its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, referred to as the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule III or SAFE Rule III. The […]
Last week, the Sabin Center filed an amicus brief on behalf of the National League of Cities (NLC) and the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) in the case Association of Contracting Plumbers of the City of New York v. City of New York, No. 25-977 (2d Cir. Apr. 21, […]
Introduction In recent years, the number of data centers in the United States and worldwide has grown rapidly, driven by the expansion of cloud computing, digital services, and artificial intelligence applications. These facilities consume substantial amounts of electricity. Projections indicate that data centers could account for about 4 – 5 […]
Last week, building electrification secured an important victory in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In Association of Contracting Plumbers of The City of New York, Inc. et al v. City of New York, plumbing and building trade groups challenged New York City’s Local […]
Two years into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the several tax credits that are eligible for “elective pay” are starting to catalyze investment in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and EV charging by nontaxable entities like local governments and nonprofit organizations. Slower to develop is a robust, cohesive response by nontaxable […]
Cities around the U.S. have long demonstrated leadership on climate change, with more than 170 of them having set targets to phase out fossil energy and many others committing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. American cities, towns, counties, and other forms of local government have pioneered path-setting approaches to economy-wide […]
By Yan Gu, Summer Intern The United States and China agreed upon a multi-faceted climate plan to curb GHG emission at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) on July 10, 2013. The plan was designed by the U.S.-China Working Group on Climate Change, which was established pursuant to a […]