ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of February 14, 2022
Nora's Note
Learn, Celebrate, Remember. Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul released a statement reaffirming New York State’s commitment to honor the contributions of trailblazing Black New Yorkers, from NY-born bandleader Cab Calloway in the Harlem Renaissance to the Niagara Movement. Make a virtual visit to the NYS Harlem Art Collection, or stop by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to learn about the Black landowners and tenants who lived in Seneca Village (now known as Central Park) in the Before Yesterday We Could Fly exhibit, which includes Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s Thriving and Potential, Displaced (Again and Again and...)—featuring layered images of Seneca Village, Black New Yorkers and the foliage of West Africa during the Middle Passage. Heading into the second half of Black History Month, we'll share more ways to learn about the role of Black artists, leaders and thinkers in shaping NYS.
Transportation
Utility Dive: Electric truck deployments could jump tenfold as interest surges, study says. Roadways in the U.S. could see a dramatic increase in zero-emissions truck use over the next decade, with roughly 140,000 orders pending, according to a recent study. The trend is centered in a handful of states, as more than 50% of the 1,215 electric trucks deployed now are in California and nearly 10% are in New York. Read more to learn why lighter trucks are driving this electric vehicle transition and how it’s leading to a wider variety of models.
Route Fifty: Why Fully Transitioning Municipal Fleets to Electric Vehicles Isn't Easy
NBC New York: MTA Announces Fare Capping Pilot That Turns Single Rides Into Unlimited Weekly Passes
Boston Herald: Boston expands fare-free program to MBTA bus routes 23, 28, 29 for two-year pilot
Transport Topics: Familiar Spots Lead ATRI’s Top Highway Bottlenecks
ABC27: Over $230 million coming to Pennsylvania for public transportation projects
Smart Cities Dive: Sidewalk detection and safety monitoring are creating 'watershed moment' for micromobility
Transportation Today: FTA announces $4.7Bin federal transit funding
Axios: America's bridges are falling apart faster than expected
Energy/Environment
AP: Plastic pollution in oceans on track to rise for decades. A new study from the World Wildlife Fund has found that several regions’ oceans contain dangerous levels of plastic pollution—while other regions are at risk of reaching similar levels. The increased plastic levels have impacted the health of marine species like plankton, whales and sea turtles, and damaged sea habitats like coral reefs. Read more to learn about the policy solutions under consideration to mitigate plastic’s environmental impacts on the world’s oceans.
ABC 7 NY: Construction begins on NY's 1st offshore wind project off Long Island coast
Grist: Maintenance is a major driver of unaccounted-for emissions
Canary Media: US coal communities get historic $11B to clean up abandoned mines
The Hill: Agriculture Department to put $1 billion toward climate-friendly farming
Reuters: U.S. to spend $725 million this year on abandoned coal mine cleanup
NY Times: How Spiking Energy Prices Complicate the Fight Against Global Warming
Gothamist: New York City’s air quality is improving — but it still isn’t healthy enough
Inside Climate News: To Counter Global Warming, Focus Far More on Methane, a New Study Recommends
Economic Development
CNBC: Bodegas are looking to zoning laws to defend their turf against instant delivery start-ups. As New York City continues to experience a rise in quick commerce businesses, bodegas and other small businesses are feeling increasingly threatened. To protect small business owners, elected officials and bodega owners are now looking to the City Council to challenge quick-service fulfillment centers through zoning regulations on warehouses in residential areas. Read more to learn how the outcome of these zoning decisions could impact the future of small business in NYC.
Pew Stateline: Retirements Cut Ranks of Scarce Frontline Workers
CityLab: It’s Time to Put Cities at the Top of America’s Economic Agenda
NY Times: Thousands in New York Public Housing Are Behind on Rent
The City: Hub for Gig Workers, Community Board Diversity Top Manhattan BP To-Do List
Philadelphia Inquirer: High prices and low supply make buying a home harder, especially for Black households
Spectrum News 1: As mask mandate ends in New York, what's next for businesses and their workers?
CNBC: More Covid relief for small businesses? Struggling industries hope that’s the case
AmNY: Kicked to the curb: DOT does not want sheds in permanent NYC outdoor dining program
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