ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of August 13, 2021
Nora's Note
#BuyBlack. I just jumped off an M/WBE training by the NYC Comptroller's Office on doing business with the city. The conversation got me thinking about the challenges my Black-owned small business counterparts experienced during COVID, and whether there is any good news on the horizon this National Black Business Month. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there was a loss of 3.3 million business owners in 2020, the largest drop on record. Black-owned businesses suffered the most, with a 41% drop in business owners, while my category, women-owned, dropped 25%. On the brighter side, Google reports searches for "Black-owned businesses" jumped 600% in the last year and Yelp cited an increase of more then 7000% over prior year searches. Here are some resources we're using to up our support: www.webuyblack.com, www.blacknation.app and www.supportblackowned.com.
Transportation
Biden seeks to make half of new U.S. auto fleet electric by 2030. The White House has announced an executive order that plans for several steps to reduce transportation-related emissions. The Executive Order, signed last week, aims to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric and establish new emissions standards. With support from several major automakers, the Executive Order's timeline aligns with industry goals to transition towards electric vehicles. Read on for more reactions to the announcement.
FHWA Public Roads: Former Research Associates Find Success
Mass Transit: Metro-North to begin upgrading parking lots at three Hudson Line stations
GovTech: Chattanooga, Tenn., to Explore the Many Uses of Traffic Data
Cities Today: LA pilots on-demand bus drop-offs to better serve women
ABC 8 News: Virginia announces one-time relief funding for intercity bus providers
Governing: How Did Richmond Rebuild Its Bus Ridership Numbers?
NY Daily News: Boosting NYC subway service, MTA construction programs are goals of new acting transit agency chairman Janno Lieber
Transport Topics: New ATRI Initiative Studies Methods for Finding Safe Younger Drivers
Energy/Environment
Lake Powell water level dips to historic low. As the U.S. West faces a historic drought, the water level of one of the nation's largest reservoirs is well below normal levels. Lake Powell, which is on the Utah-Arizona border, provides water for millions of Americans and supports the region's agricultural and tourism industries. As officials make plans to replenish Lake Powell, longer-term solutions will need to be identified to mitigate the impact of climate change on the region's future. Read on to learn more about how residents and towns are responding to the drought's current effects on the economy.
CNBC: UN climate report is our ‘final wake-up call,’ say environmental experts
Niagara Gazette: NYPA to study impact of climate change on operations
Yale E360: Wildfires Had a Bigger Climate Impact Than the Pandemic in 2020
Microgrid Knowledge: Report Calls for Change as Town Center Microgrids Run into Roadblocks
Inside Climate News: US Forest Fires Threaten Carbon Offsets as Company-Linked Trees Burn
The Guardian: Dead zones spread along Oregon coast and Gulf of Mexico, study shows
Utility Dive: The US power sector is halfway to net zero emissions—but it gets harder now, analysts say
PBS NewsHour: Can concrete, a major Co2 emitter, be made greener?
Economic Development
How should cities spend billions in aid? Ask people who live there. Cities and states across the United States are using a range of outreach activities to ask their residents for feedback on how to spend $350 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Digital approaches, like surveys and virtual hearings, have been popular ways to engage residents from a distance. Additionally, some cities are placing a focus on ensuring that funds are equitably distributed. Read on to learn more about the public outreach that has been executed in communities across the country.
City & State NY: Fighting the digital divide with tribally owned fiber
Fast Company: Why equity is critical to our future infrastructure spending
Westfair Communications: New York to fund $1.1B in childcare services to boost return-to-work efforts
CBS News: NYC to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment
Marketplace: Commercial real estate firms, co-working companies join forces
Next City: How Hard Is It To Create a Commercial Corridor for Black-Owned Businesses in Chicago?
Gothamist: Dozens Of NYC Public School Buildings May Not Be Able To Fit Their Students At 3 Feet Apart This Fall
Smart Cities Dive: CDC issues new federal eviction moratorium as cities still struggle to provide relief to renters and landlords
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