CLOSUP publications

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

The most recent U.S. American Community Survey revealed that despite a second year of growth for median income in Michigan, poverty rates for residents in the state’s poorest cities-- Detroit and Flint-- have stagnated. Survey results also uncover...

Despite voting Republican in every presidential election since Reagan, Texas was one of the first states to adopt a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and is now ranked third nationally in production of renewable energy, beaten only by California...

The city of Detroit, Michigan, is undergoing a development boom unlike anything it has seen in recent years. The District Detroit is one such project, pioneered by one of the city’s most recognized families. What is difficult to discern, though, is...

As the effects of climate change intensify and Earth’s supply of fossil fuels continues to dwindle in the face of expanding consumerism and rising populations, the development of clean energy alternatives is more important than ever. Michigan’s...

Early conservation efforts were focused on setting aside lands to remain undeveloped and for plant and animal species to have a protected zone. Shifting environmental problems such as climate change have created a need for conservation efforts to...

Literature suggests that incorporating urban agricultural practices into urban planning and policy making could be an effective method of improving economic and environmental sustainability, as well as increasing urban food security if adopted on a...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

Because of an absence of federal policies in the US mandating green building certification, this paper aims to explore if local policy efforts can, as an alternative, effectively drive sustainable design and increase the number of green buildings....

In recent years, natural gas production has increased greatly in the United States. This is, in large part, because of an attempt to decrease dependence on foreign energy sources. With increased use of natural gas comes the use of hydraulic...

This paper inventories American and European implementations of extended producer responsibility (EPR) solar waste management programs in order to understand the factors responsible for effective waste collection and successful collection financing...

Scientists estimate that by 2050 rising sea levels will place over 800 million people around the world at risk for regular flooding events, infrastructure damage and, in some extreme cases, complete submersion. As a result, many communities...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

As policymakers progress further into finding sustainable, renewable energy solutions for the United States, local and state governments have been fixating on solar power. The price of solar energy has dropped dramatically in recent years — but not...

Nationally, the Great Recession officially ended in 2009, with employment and market conditions on a steady incline to recover from the economic downturn. However, many nationwide improvements of the economy were not truly seen until 2015, as the...

The Spring 2019 County-wide Fiscal Health Fact Sheets are from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), an ongoing survey of the top elected and appointed officials in every unit of general purpose local government across the state. The MPPS is...

Attitudes towards the implementation of renewable energy technologies vary in complexity as an increasing number of renewable projects are proposed in the United States and the rest of the world. These projects remain controversial, as proponents...

Californians have a strong history of environmentalism and progressive energy policies, dating back to the days of the gold rush. Some have posited that Californians care so much about the environment because they have had so much to lose from its...

Iowa is located in both the geographic center of the United States and at center stage for the nation’s energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. For the last three decades, Iowa has been a national leader in wind energy despite relatively...

Minnesota is forward-thinking when it comes to renewable energy policy. The state boasts a decently aggressive renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and has democratic leadership that is leading Minnesota to a clean energy future. Robust policies are...

With valuable wind and solar energy resources, a history of ranking in the top states for hydroelectric power, and a governor focused on climate change action, Oregon is poised to continue to be a leader in renewable deployment. The current state of...