ASC's Intersections Newsletter — May 5, 2023
Nora's Note
Reimagining a future with clean energy. While the importance of climate action to address challenges to our environment, health, and quality of life has become pretty clear to most, there is still a lot that is new to the public regarding climate change mitigation, and innovative ideas can be met with concern, particularly if questions about unfamiliar approaches go unanswered. Energy developers and policy makers will need to invest time and resource to increase public awareness and understanding, and Equinor Renewables took a big step in that direction with two Open Houses, the first of which was held this week in Island Park, New York, with morning and evening sessions to give residents the time needed to meet with project experts for the Empire Wind 2 offshore wind project. More than 200 attended and a second is set for June 8 at the Allegria Hotel in Long Beach. Attendees arrived with lists of questions about offshore wind topics including cable routes, substations, marine wildlife, jobs and supply chains, community benefits and more. In addition to Equinor’s subject matter experts, representatives of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) were on hand to explain the state's approach to offshore wind. An online version of the open house will be available shortly. Sign up to attend the next in the event series to learn the Empire Wind project and offshore wind—because the more people involved, the better the outcome.
Transportation
NYC Experiments with 'Microhubs' to Ease Street Congestion. New York City is testing "microhubs" to help delivery trucks make fewer stops by letting workers with cargo bikes, hand carts, and other smaller devices deliver the last few blocks. The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) will establish 20 delivery hubs for the pilot program this summer. Transportation officials will use curbside and off-street sites for consolidated deliveries and consider density, proximity to bike lanes and truck routes, and community input when choosing sites. Read more about this and similar programs to limit congestion and pollution from delivery transit. (Source: Route Fifty)
Smart Cities Dive: $14B for city and state transit awarded in FTA formula grants
Mass Transit: Santa Cruz Metro targeting three key areas as agency bounces back from COVID-19 pandemic
Mass Transit: USDOT opens $1.17 billion in Safe Streets program funding
Gothamist: New trains hit PATH tracks with plans to boost commutes
Energy/Environment
$562M for coastal resiliency projects announced by Commerce Department. The U.S. Department of Commerce has recommended that $562M be made available to coastal communities through the Infrastructure Investment Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. The funds will be distributed through the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative. Experts hope the funds will help coastal communities prepare for more intense storms and the effects of rapid sea level rise. Read more to learn about coastal resilience projects that may affect your community. (Source: Smart Cities Dive)
AP: Federal storm disaster aid approved for California tribe
New York Times: Governors Island to Be Site of $700 Million Climate Campus
Grist: New Biden executive order takes aim at environmental injustice
The City: Stony Brook University to Spearhead Governors Island Climate Center
Economic Development
City’s ‘Displacement Prevention Navigators’ Aim to Help Neighbors Remain in Homes. The city of Austin, Texas will initiate a Displacement Prevention Navigator Pilot Program this fall. The program will hire “navigators” who will assist community members in understanding and accessing housing resources such as rental assistance and home repair. The program will focus on two vulnerable Austin communities, Coloney Park and Dove Springs, with the hope that navigators have close ties to these communities. Read more about how this pilot program will help people stay in their homes amid rising housing prices. (Source: Route Fifty)
Route Fifty: Housing Permits Dip for First Time in a Decade
Smart Cities Dive: Creating safe streets for all users takes community engagement, funding, transportation leaders say
Brookings: In rural Alabama, a test for talent-driven economic development
Mother Jones: How a tiny, Latino-majority city grabbed power—literally
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