ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of August 15, 2022
Nora's Note
Something to Celebrate. This American Clean Power Week, we’ve finally got something to cheer for. Even with the likely twists and turns ahead, the Inflation Reduction Act is now law and we’re thinking big for our clean energy future. Together with clients and community groups, we’re mapping paths to reach 2030 emissions reduction targets in the US and in New York State’s Climate Leadership and Protection Act. While over 415,000 Americans are already working in clean energy, growth projections point to over 9 million jobs in the sector by the end of the decade. We will need all hands on deck to train a new workforce to implement the technologies ahead and a watchful eye to make sure the transition to a clean energy economy is a just one.
Transportation
NJDOT Announces Mileage-Based User Fee Pilot Program (MBUF). As cars become more efficient and electric vehicles become more common, experts expect a drop in the fuel tax revenue which funds transportation infrastructure in New Jersey. To prepare for the anticipated revenue shortfalls, the NJ Department of Transportation has launched a new program where drivers can earn $100 by helping policymakers explore fuel tax alternatives. The agency hopes that a focus on miles driven, rather than gallons of gas purchased, will help strengthen revenue projections. Read more to learn about the pilot. (Source: South Jersey Observer)
Gothamist: Newark Penn Station is undergoing a $190M renovation. NJ Transit wants you to weigh in
CBS NY: First section of Long Island Rail Road third track expansion opens for Monday commute
Reuters: Twenty-three states tell U.S. court CDC lacks authority to set transportation mask rules
AP News: Transit woes mount for Boston’s beleaguered subway riders
Transportation Today: FHWA awards $172.2 million in grants to ferry services
Route Fifty: Senate Package Has $3B for Communities Cut Apart by Highways
WHYY: Philadelphia trail linking Schuylkill and Delaware rivers closer to taking shape
northjersey.com: Congestion pricing options studied by MTA would charge NJ drivers extra to get to NYC
Energy/Environment
NYC saw 'disparities' in cooling center access during heat wave. During New York City’s recent heat wave, many cooling centers remained out of reach or out of service for many vulnerable New Yorkers. The disparity between residential populations and the number of cooling centers is especially pronounced outside of Manhattan. In East Flatbush, Queens, for example, only two of the City’s 542 cooling centers were open to the public. In the face of increased extreme heat, activists continue to urge the City to better address the lack of public air conditioning access. Read more about the accessibility of quality cooling centers across NYC. (Source: Spectrum News NY1)
Axios: Earth sees a top 3 hottest July, marked by deadly heat, flash floods
Forbes: Hydrogen A Winner As Manchin Forces A Diverse Energy Transition Policy Approach
Bloomberg: The US Climate Bill Could Make Now the Best Time to Go Solar
Star News Online: For highly endangered North Atlantic right whales, offshore wind brings a lot of unknowns
Grist: Climate change is making 58% of infectious diseases worse
Pennsylvania Capital Star: Study: Drilling wastewater on Pa. roads dangerous to human health, environment
New Jersey Monitor: New law creates $45M electric school bus program
Utility Dive: US on track to be a 27 GW annual storage market by 2031: Wood Mackenzie
Economic Development
Tulsa Retools Itself for the Remote Work Revolution. In an effort to transform Tulsa, OK into America’s next great tech hub, a local nonprofit has started a program that offers remote workers $10,000 to move to the city for a year. The program has brought 1,300 remote workers to Tulsa since 2018 and is just one of several recent programs intended to expand the city’s economy outside of the oil and gas industries. Read more about Tulsa’s recent economic revival through its investment in remote workers. (Source: Governing)
City & State NY: NYC’s public spaces are becoming increasingly hostile toward homeless people
Commercial Observer: NYC Construction Costs Rose 8 Percent in Last Year
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Recession fears intensify with rising inflation
Yahoo!: Bond markets complicate Fed decision after blowout jobs report
Axios: Cooling centers are turning into next-gen "climate resilience hubs"
Omaha World Herald: Indigenous Peoples Summit brings tribal leaders to Omaha to discuss food issues
New Jersey Business Magazine: Corporate Tax Credit Auction Opens to Fuel NJ Innovation Evergreen Fund
FedScoop: Small Business Administration installs Stephen Kucharski as acting CIO
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