ASC's Intersections Newsletter — April 4th, 2025
Nora’s Note
Community Vision for Clean, Vibrant Waterway Takes Shape. A major milestone for the Lower Esopus Creek: Marbletown has secured over $48,000 to address contamination at the town beach, kicking off the first project recommended in the Stream Management Plan (SMP). This win reflects the power of collaborative, community-based planning.
Working with Inter-Fluve, ASC helped advance a multilingual, community-first engagement process that brought local voices into every stage of the plan’s development. From interactive workshops and surveys to a hands-on “walkshop” in Marbletown, our team ensured community members were central to the conversation.
This funding serves as a proof point that community-based planning can help drive real-world impact.
On the topic of waterways, ASC team member Chanah Haigh has earned her WEDG (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) certification, gaining new expertise that will help power waterfront engagement efforts in the future.
Transportation
Ensuring driver safety in transportation: How technology is transforming the industry. Long-haul trucking presents unique safety challenges, but advanced technology is helping reduce risks and improve efficiency. Telematics systems provide real-time tracking and driver feedback, while collision avoidance and lane-departure warnings prevent accidents. Industry leaders are leading the way by integrating these technologies with driver training to enhance road safety. Read more about how innovations are shaping the future of transportation safety. (Source: Michigan Tech News)
Queens News: City Council passes long-awaited legislation to tackle sidewalk scaffolding issues
Sentinel Colorado: Advocates push for $4 billion investment in public transit in metro area
Gothamist: Q70 bus to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M revamp, including bus-only lane on BQE
Climate
Nation’s first small modular nuclear reactors could come to Michigan in 2030. These Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) differ from traditional nuclear plants as they’re smaller in size, cheaper to build, and rely on gravity for their cooling system. While debates continue over safety and nuclear waste disposal, widescale implementation of SMRs would require building a whole new supply chain in the US over the next decade. Read more about SMRs. (Source: Inside Climate News)
Grist: Renewables surged in 2024—but so did fossil fuels
Canary Media: Illinois city passes law to slash emissions from big buildings
Anthropocene Magazine: By zapping seawater with electricity, scientists make a solid carbon-negative building material
Economic Development
Brooklyn Marine Terminal revitalization as ‘harbor of the future’ begins with demolition efforts. New York City invests $18 million to modernize the Red Hook port and support a cleaner, all-electric future for maritime shipping. Plans include removing four outdated cranes, repairing Pier 10, and installing a new electric ship-to-shore crane by 2027. This transformation aims to boost freight efficiency while reducing emissions along the Brooklyn waterfront. Read more about the timeline and environmental goals behind this effort. (Source: AMNY)
Trellis: NYC’s Green Economy Action Plan marks a year of success
Cal Matters: Will this bill be the end of California’s housing vs environment wars?
Vanguard News Group: Otay Ranch Village 13 Settlement paves way for wildfire-safe housing development
Digital
South Bronx students unplug—and thrive—under all-day cell phone ban. As New York lawmakers consider a statewide school cell phone ban, two Bronx high schools are already seeing results from locking up devices during the school day. Students at AMS II and HUM II use magnetic pouches to keep phones sealed from bell to bell, leading to better focus, engagement, and peer connection. Read more about how this policy is reshaping school culture—and what research says about phones and mental health. (Source: Bronx Times)
Engadget: Utah just became the first state in the country to pass an age verification law for app stores
Forbes: Mission-Critical and Expert Systems: The next wave of AI
Route Fifty: Virtual reality helps incarcerated people practice reentry to society in California
About Arch Street Communications
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