Development, land use, and environmental impact

In the past quarter-century, the total area of developed land in the United States increased by nearly 50 percent. Such a shift comes with substantial environmental, economic, and social impacts. Conflicts arise over regulation, with advocates concerned about the harm excessive development does to the environment and critics charging that urbanization is a natural shift in the market. The diverse perspectives in this resource strive to address the tough questions that arise from this important issue.