ASC's Intersections Newsletter — March 1st, 2024
Nora's Note
Level up. Even though 42% of all businesses in the US are led by women and employ 9.4 million people—1 in 3 of us has experienced sexism as a business owner. Gender-bias in lending continues—just 21% of US SBA loans go to women owners, but, undaunted, 1,800 new women-owned businesses are created every day in this country; in fact, the post-pandemic growth of women-owned businesses has been nearly double that of our male counterparts. Today kicks off Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” is particularly apt. Having played for so long on an unlevel field, women business owners know more than many the cost of inequity, and as a result are twice as likely as male counterparts to push for diversity, equity and inclusion at work. Though much remains to address imbalances in the workplace, we thank the sisters in business who came before—Bridget ‘Biddy’ Mason, Mary Katharine Goddard and Madam C.J. Walker are but a few—for the hard-won progress we’ve already made in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Transportation
MTA unveils ambitious plan to illuminate subway system with LED lighting by 2026. The New York City subway system is planning to replace 150,000 fluorescent light fixtures with brighter, more energy efficient LED lights by the middle of 2026. LED lighting reduces costs and emissions and follows the MTA's Re-NEW-Vation project, which greatly enhanced sanitation across the subway system. 63 stations have already been upgraded across the city. Read more on how these LEDs will save the MTA $5.9 million annually. (Source: Brooklyn Paper)
Cardinal News: Virginia Tech’s Smart Road is a driving force in autonomous vehicle research
Mass Transit Mag: FTA awards $213 million to Maryland Transit Administration to replace aging light-rail vehicles
Smart Cities Dive: Seattle to add electric buses that use wireless charging
Climate
US community solar market should reach 14 GW by 2028. The projected growth is driven by existing state markets, newer state markets, and legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act. Community solar has been rapidly growing since 2022, underscoring a significant shift in the industry. As of December 2023, 6.2 gigawatts of community solar have been installed in the US. Around one third of this comes from New York, which generates enough solar energy to power about 400,000 homes. Read more about the US community solar market report. (Source: Solar Power World)
Canary Media: EVs are one step closer to becoming roaming grid batteries
Grist: Heat pumps outsold gas furnaces again last year — and the gap is growing
Wired: The Transport Companies Leaving Fossil Fuels Behind
Economic Development
State lawmakers seek to incentivize affordable housing construction along CT transit hubs. State lawmakers in Connecticut are looking to approve an updated version of last year’s “Work Live Ride” bill. The bill would help stimulate more housing production along key transportation corridors in communities who opt into the legislation. Participating communities could also earn funding from the newly created Office of Responsible Growth (ORG), which they can use for planning, infrastructure modernization, and design projects. Read more about the proposed bill and how it can incentivize transit-oriented development. (Source: CT Public)
NPR: Student loan balances wiped for the first batch of borrowers in Biden's SAVE plan
Hawaii Public Radio: Small businesses impacted by Honolulu rail construction to receive financial relief
Axios: Real estate surprise: Latinos, Asian Americans see biggest homeownership gains
Digital
County leaders lobby for extension of affordable internet. County leaders recently appealed to Congress to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program, which aids low-income families with broadband costs. Supporting 22 million households nationwide with expiration set in April, reliable internet access is essential for accessing work, education, healthcare and is a critical tool for citizens to stay engaged and informed. Speakers are urging Congress to prolong funding for the program to continue providing for low-income households. Read more about the importance of internet in expanding equitable access to essential services. (Source: Government Technology)
Fortune: Robots and AI are saving the American economy with a boom in productivity, the ‘magic beanstalk beans’ that allow higher wages without inflation
Tech Radar: Bye-bye identity theft: how biometrics can revolutionize security
Axios: Biden issues new mandates to protect ports from hackers
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