ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of December 6, 2021
Nora's Note
Leveling the playing field for small business. On December 2, the White House announced new federal procurement reforms to increase competitiveness for underserved small business owners. Along with other members of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices community, I helped send messages to elected officials—1,500 in all—to press for change. And we got it. Federal procurement dollars for small, disadvantaged businesses will go from 5% to 11% in FY 2022; accountability for meeting small business contracting goals will increase and agencies have been directed to reverse the 60 percent decline in small business participation over the last decade. I can’t think of a single small business that hasn’t faced challenges in the past couple of years—but by advocating together, we can change what comes next.
Transportation
Cycling surge here to stay in many cities, report suggests. A new report shows that bike activity in the U.S. has risen 10% since the beginning of the pandemic. While bicycling saw a nationwide increase, urban areas had the most significant increases, with some cities seeing more than 50% increases in bike activity. Many cities are now considering investing in new protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks to accommodate the rising number of cyclists. Read more to learn how cities like Nashville are responding to the increase in bike activity.
Syracuse.com: Gov. Kathy Hochul to push for Interstate 81 funding in Washington visit
NJ.com: NJ Transit seeks to boost ridership with holiday, NFL ticket deals
Transport Topics: State DOTs Explore Roadway Charging to Support Electric-Powered Vehicles
Los Angeles Times: State appeals court rejects long-standing challenge to California bullet train
Washington Post: A changing climate is buckling concrete and flooding roads. States are moving slowly to guard the nation’s infrastructure.
Route Fifty: The Outlook for Fare-Free Transit
CleanTechnica: Battery-Electric Freight Trains Could Happen, Eventually
Bloomberg: NYC’s Gateway Tunnel Gets Final Federal Construction Permit
Energy/Environment
U.S. must cut plastic production to save oceans. The National Academy of Sciences recently published a report that found the United States is the world’s largest generator of plastic waste—having produced 42 million metric tons of plastic waste in 2016. To avoid serious, long-term damage to the Earth’s oceans, the report calls for the U.S. to drastically reduce its solid waste generation and improve its recycling processes. Read more to learn about the impacts of plastic waste on communities around the world.
E&E News: EPA funds research key to environmental justice mapping tool
The Verge: Renewables see record growth in 2021, but supply chain problems loom
Yale E360: Emissions Fall in China, Rise in Europe Amid Covid Recovery
NY Times: Ending a Tale of Two Power Grids
Bloomberg Green: Nobody Mentioned Scorpions—Global Warming’s Secondary Effects Sting
Grist: Countries are about to start trading carbon. Is that a good thing?
NPR: City trees are turning green early, prompting warnings about food and pollination
Canary Media: How to turn trash into treasure—Put solar panels over landfills
Economic Development
NYC expands special education plan translation for parents who request them. Last year, New York City launched a citywide program to translate the individualized education programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities for non-English-speaking families. The program, which is now permanent after the initial pilot, removes language barriers that can prevent families from ensuring their children receive necessary services. More than 7,000 IEPs were translated in the program’s first year, and officials predict that number will significantly rise this school year. Read more to learn how this program is benefiting families across the City.
Nextgov: U.S. Workforce Falling Behind Competitors in Digital Skills
PBS NewsHour: States, cities running out of rental assistance funds
Yale E360: Why the Luster on Once-Vaunted ‘Smart Cities’ Is Fading
Commercial Observer: How New York Might Benefit from the Federal Infrastructure Bill
Pew Stateline: Telehealth May Be Here to Stay
Reuters: Rising inflation, relentless pandemic dampen U.S. consumer confidence
NY Times: Supply Chain Problems Have Small Retailers Gambling on Hoarding
QNS: Southeast Queens leaders welcome economic development that comes with opening of UBS Arena
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COVID-19 Recovery Resources
NY Forward: NY State Reopening Updates
NYC Health: NYC Reopening Updates
Empire State Development: NY State Business Pandemic Recovery Initiative
CDC: Official Updates for Coronavirus Disease
SBA: COVID-19 Resources for Small Businesses
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