ASC's Intersections Newsletter — September 22, 2023
Nora's Note
That's a wrap. Today closes out the We Can. We Will. Climate Week 2023 in New York; with 400+ events from panels to dinners to protests drew climate leaders from around the world, start-up hopefuls, project heads, supply chain builders and movers and shakers in every corner of climate action. The concurrent UN Climate Ambition Summit drew climate geeks and activists seeking an end to fossil fuel development. Governor Hochul announced 33 winners sharing in a $13.3M funding pot supporting farm water conservation projects to protect the environment. And President Biden launched the first ever American Climate Corps, with more than 20,000 new career pathways for youth dedicated to protecting and restoring our planet. ASC client Beacon Wind and the Queensborough President's Office gave more than 300 an up-close look at offshore wind at a Climate Week Expo. New York's nation-leading climate and clean energy targets were affirmed all week long, as was the state's commitment to put environmental justice front and center. Climate Week behind us, we've got work to do.
Transportation
Eyes on the Street: Bronx’s Gun Hill Rd. Bus Project Gets a Lot Right. The NYCDOT has added new bus lane infrastructure on Gun Hill Road to reduce MTA bus traffic congestion and improve pedestrian public safety. The new pedestrian-friendly, cement dividing line will address significant travel delays that have affected roughly 40,000 daily riders across multiple bus routes connecting the 2 and the 5 subway lines. The infrastructure will also create a pedestrian refuge from oncoming traffic. Read more about this NYCDOT effort to create smart infrastructure in traditionally underserved communities. (Source: Smart Cities Blog)
Rough Draft Atlanta: Atlanta BeltLine to launch transit planning study for 13.6 mile portion of corridor
Mass Transit Mag: MI: SMART expanding bus service in Oakland County
The Chronicle: Efforts underway to improve Durham walkability through new pedestrian infrastructure, human-oriented design
Mass Transit Mag: Community Transit Board of Directors approves five-year transit development plan
Climate
EPA: Climate law will cut carbon emissions up to 43 percent. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is expected to reduce carbon emissions significantly, according to the EPA's first report on the law. By 2030, it could lower economy-wide emissions by 35-43% compared to 2005 levels, with the electric power sector potentially seeing cuts of 49-83%. While emissions may not immediately decrease due to pre-existing contracts for coal and natural gas, the initiative will contribute to the US’s long term climate goals. Read more to discover just how much carbon is estimated to decline among various sectors. (Source: The Hill)
New York Times: Biden’s Climate Law Is Reshaping Private Investment in the United States
Energy News Network: Massachusetts’ clean peak incentive puts battery storage project on track
E&E News: How Big Oil’s wastewater could fuel the EV revolution
Canary Media: Heat pumps outperform boilers and furnaces — even in the cold
Economic Development
Reforms could add 300K housing units to New York City over 10 years. A new report finds New York City could catalyze the development of about 300,000 new housing units over the next decade through the implementation of a suite of financial, regulatory, and land use reforms. To combat severe cost burdening and housing demand in the city, the report outlines strategies such as easing density restrictions, incentivizing office-to-residential conversions, and improving liability policies for construction. The number of housing units in 10 years could increase by more than 160% of current production rates. Read more about these reforms and their benefits (Source: Smart Cities Dive).
Smart Cities Dive: Broadband affordability program enrolls 20M+ US households, most in urban areas
AMNY: First GED test center for people with disabilities in New York City now officially open
Forbes: NSF Investing $76 Million In Four University-Based Physics Frontier Centers
San Francisco Standard: San Francisco Housing: $300M Bond Headed to Voters Next Year
Digital
How generative AI is being used to put the humanity back into government. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Driver and Vehicle Services division is using a generative AI-based virtual assistant to help non-English speakers access its services. The virtual assistant can translate English into Hmong, Spanish, and Somali, and it can also answer questions about driver's licenses, car registration, and more. The virtual assistant has been used in over 150,000 conversations and helped with over 6,100 self-service transactions. Read more about the project, including department plans to add more languages and features in the future. (Source: Route Fifty).
GovTech: Tech Firms Partner to Automate Commercial Fire Notifications
Proactive: US SEC turns to artificial intelligence for market surveillance, says chairman
Forbes: AudioEye Releases 2023 Digital Accessibility Index Shedding Light On ‘Biggest Roadblocks For People With Disabilities’
GovTech: Programs Nationwide Aim to Build Pipeline of STEM Experts
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