ASC's Intersections Newsletter — November 17th, 2023
Nora's Note
The state of climate in the US. This week the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) revealed efforts to curb emissions and limit the effects of climate change are woefully behind. All communities in the US are already feeling the effects of a warming planet, with some areas of the country experiencing more severe effects than others. The Biden Administration has released $6 Billion in climate funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase climate resilience, strengthen electric grid infrastructure, advance climate resilience, mitigate flood risk and advance environmental justice initiatives. But every initiative coming out of this funding will require support from affected communities—and the public is coalescing to demand developers adopt community-based planning approaches that give them a voice in what happens in their hometowns. Accelerating clean energy production to meet the most severe of climate effects calls for a collective rethinking of how the public is engaged—if we are to successfully solve the shared challenge of climate change.
Transportation
Passenger rail gets ‘unprecedented’ $16B investment. The Biden administration has unveiled a $16 billion plan to upgrade or replace aging infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor, marking a substantial investment in modernizing and strengthening environmentally friendly transportation. The package includes funds for new tunnels under the Hudson River, the replacement of a 150-year-old tunnel in Baltimore, a bridge replacement in Maryland, and other key improvements. President Biden emphasized the project's significance in reducing delays, increasing speeds, and providing a more reliable experience for riders. Read more for how this move addresses critical bottlenecks and outdated infrastructure. (Source: Route Fifty)
Mass Transit Mag: MTA releases ‘Zoning for Accessibility: 2022-2023 Annual Report’
Smart Cities Dive: Shared bike, e-scooter use recovers from pandemic lows, but hurdles remain
Governing: Fare-Capping Policies May Increase Transit Ridership
Climate
US invests $2 billion for lower-carbon construction at federal buildings. The U.S. government is investing in the carbon footprint of federal building construction projects by prioritizing the use of low-carbon materials. The funding will support projects across 39 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and will catalyze the market for American-made low carbon asphalt, concrete, glass and steel – the four most carbon intensive construction materials. This action is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda and furthers the Buy Clean Initiative. Read more for further details on this project. (Source: Reuters)
The Hill: Biden administration announces 15 new renewable energy projects on public lands
Inside Climate News: Michigan Poised to Join States Requiring 100 Percent Clean Electricity
Canary Media: Kauai became a clean energy leader. Its secret? A publicly owned grid
Economic Development
Cities Experiment With Pedal-Powered Delivery Policies. The food delivery industry faces a challenging dilemma: while consumers demand quick, cost-effective food delivery, they're less inclined to pay more for environmentally friendlier methods like bike couriers. Despite this, cities like Boston and San Francisco are actively exploring sustainable delivery solutions, with San Francisco piloting a program equipping couriers with electric bikes. The landscape of city-based food delivery is changing as customer desires, municipal efforts, and the movement towards more green methods are implemented. Read more to understand how cities are approaching this challenge. (Source: GovTech)
Inside Climate News: UAW Settles With Big 3 U.S. Automakers, Hoping to Organize EV Battery Plants
Missouri Independent: Biden launches ‘Investing in Rural America’ push with cabinet officials
Canary Media: How many jobs is the Inflation Reduction Act spurring? A lot
Digital
New York City DOT Improves Cost Savings and Efficiency with Automation. The New York City DOT has achieved a remarkable 99.1 percent reduction in labor and operational expenditures through the strategic implementation of automation in its injury and damages litigation procedures. The DOT partnered with a government-focused tech company to develop an automated search and discovery platform that integrated data from over 37 sources, enabling rapid information retrieval and producing faster and more unified reporting. This transformation resulted in a drastic reduction in overhead costs per case, from $3.5 million to $30,000 annually. Read more on the uses of automation. (Source: Government Technology Insider)
IEEE Spectrum: Machine Learning Could Be Used to Better Predict Floods
GovTech: Seattle Mayor, Interim CTO Announce Generative AI Policy
Route Fifty: DELETE Act closes ‘big loophole’ and tightens regulations on data brokers
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