Urban Planning/Transportation / Public News Service

Children living near refineries, highways and other sources of air pollution are disproportionately at risk of developing respiratory illness. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Connecting CO Health Outcomes to Climate Solutions, Lower Utility Bills

A successful program that helps low-income households weatherize homes and lower energy bills is setting its sights on improving the health outcomes o…

Economists say state and local governments account for a substantially higher share of economic output than the federal government. (Adobe Stock)

It's a Whole New Ball Game for MN Local Governments

Over the weekend, a conference featuring thousands of local government leaders from around the U.S. wrapped up. A Minnesota mayor was in attendance …

As part of the federal infrastructure law, the City of Milwaukee was recently awarded nearly $80 million to replace lead water pipes. (Adobe Stock)

One Year In, WI Communities Measure Impact of Infrastructure Law

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the signing of the federal infrastructure law. Groups pushing for support for Wisconsin towns and cities say …

Supporters of Question 4 say granting licenses to drivers without legal status in the United States would reduce unnecessary arrests and reduce the time police spent when an immigrant without status gets pulled over. (Adobe Photo)

MA Advocates Laud Increased Resources for Non-English Speakers

On the heels of the midterm election, and passage of Question 4, which upheld a law allowing immigrants without legal status in the U.S. to receive …

Another 63 Missouri School Districts are on the EPA Clean School Bus wait-list. (Maksym Yemelyanov/Adobe Stock)

EPA Awards Missouri School Districts $21 Million for Cleaner Buses

Missouri is joining the transition from diesel to electric school buses, as 26 school districts have been awarded $21 million in federal funds…

The Volkswagen Settlement will fund 161 new school buses across the state, the majority of which will be electric. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Clean School Bus Program Awards Five Districts in North Carolina

Five school districts in North Carolina have been awarded more than $12 million in funding for cleaner school buses. The Environmental Protection …

Massachusetts voters approved the Fair Share Amendment, also known as the

MA Educators Celebrate Passage of Fair Share Amendment

Educators across the Commonwealth say voters showed their commitment to public education in the midterm election by passing the Fair Share Amendment…

American children spend a total of 3 billion hours on school buses each year. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: State Must Do More on School Bus Electrification

With the Inflation Reduction Act supporting the beginning of a transition to clean school buses, elected officials in Florida are calling for quicker …

Surveys of blind and low-vision voters following every presidential election since 2008 indicate that as many as one-third of poll workers don't know how to operate their location's accessible ballot-marking devices. (Adobe Photo)

'One4All' Accessible Voting in NH Expected to Grow

All polling places are required to have at least one accessible voting machine for federal elections, but as communities across New Hampshire age…

California is expected to need more than 1.2 million chargers by 2030 to meet the fueling demands of the 7.5 million electric vehicles anticipated to be on the state's roadways. (Artinun/Adobe Stock)

Building CA's Workforce to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

By Jessica Goodheart for Capital and Main.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Capital and Main-Public Ne…

Earlier this year, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 4, giving the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection the authority to expand public and private use of electric vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

New Federal Funding Helps CT Get Electric School Buses

Connecticut school districts and bus companies will be receiving more than $8 million in federal funding for electric school buses. The grant is …

The five-year Clean School Bus Program will replace school buses with zero- or low-emission models, starting this year. The total cost will be $5 billion. (Adobe Stock)

NY Receives Federal Funding for Electric School Buses

School districts across New York will be receiving almost $70 million in federal funding for electric school buses, via a grant awarded through the …

According to Edmunds.com, the average price for a new EV was $60,054 in February, which was $1,820 more than their average manufacturers suggested retail price of $58,234. (Buffaloboy/Adobe Stock)

Report: Electric Vehicles Jump in Popularity; Prices Leap, Too

Electric vehicles now make up almost 18% of the car-buying market in California. That's up 42% from 2021, according to the latest data from the …

The Maine Office of Tourism says the state experienced a 29 percent increase in tourism-related visitation in 2021 over 2020, with an estimated 15.6 million visitors. (Adobe Stock)

Revamped 'NewEngland511' Aims to Reduce Congestion, Pollution

Visitors and residents of Maine count on the New England 511 website for real-time road and weather conditions, and a recent makeover could help even …

Coalition Launches Innovative Health and Housing Facility

Doors are now open at a new hybrid health care and housing facility, expected to help some 500 people experiencing homelessness each year recuperate …

Efforts to implement high-speed rail in the U.S. have been ongoing since the mid-1960s, but only Amtrak's Acela service, between New York and Washington, D.C., has been completed. (North Atlantic Rail Alliance/Shop Architects)

Reactions Mixed to Proposed High-Speed Rail Line for Northeast

A proposed high-speed rail line could change the way people travel across Long Island and through the New England states. The line, conceived by the …

Pronghorn make their way across the desert toward the mountains of Northern Nevada. (Cynthia/Adobestock)

New Report Underscores Importance of Wildlife Migration Corridors

A report out today calls on western states to do more to protect wildlife migration corridors. The migration routes are critical to animals such as …

Climate change is altering the growth patterns and abundance of forage at key locations along wildlife migration corridors and times of year. (Jessi Johnson)

Report: Open Migration Routes Critical for Big Game Health

A new Pew Charitable Trusts report tapping mountains of GPS collar tracking data and other science offers a roadmap for protecting big game in Wyoming…

Land-use trends in the West, particularly in rural areas, almost invariably result in habitat loss and fragment historic migration routes. (PewTrusts)

Report Cites Wildlife-Migration Challenges, Solutions

Like humans, animals are creatures of habit and often do not adjust when their migration routes are disrupted. A new report said there is adequate …

A bridge pier slide area in the Kerens-to-Parsons section of the under-construction Corridor H highway project near Moore, West Virginia. (Pamela Moe)<br />

Many WV Small Businesses Want Northern Route for Corridor H Highway

Small businesses in Thomas and Davis say they would prefer a planned four-lane highway to be rerouted north, instead of running through what they say …

The recently passed CHIPS and Science Act is expected to provide major investments for infrastructure to build the semiconductors necessary for electric vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

CT Begins Transition to Electric Vehicles

The United States is seeing a national push from the federal government and car companies to pivot toward electric vehicles, and Connecticut is …

UCLA scientists tracking SoCal mountain lions found that 93% have abnormal sperm rates and others have deformed tails and testicular defects, signs of inbreeding. (Christian/Adobe Stock)

Governor Signs Bill to Integrate Wildlife Corridors into Highway Plans

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Friday to require Caltrans to integrate wildlife corridors into its plans as roads are built around the …

A 2021 study in the journal Science found that fine particulate matter, one of the main pollutants produced by gas-burning vehicles, is responsible for 85,000 to 200,000 excess premature deaths per year in the United States. (Aleksandr Kondratov/Adobestock)

Local Officials Call on Feds to Adopt CA Clean-Car Standards

Local officials concerned about climate change are calling on the Biden Environmental Protection Agency to adopt strict national clean car standards -…

Nearly 1.5 million electric vehicles were registered in the United States in 2021. (Samuel B./Adobe Stock)

Drive Electric Week Rides into Idaho

This week is National Drive Electric Week, and the vehicles are garnering more attention than ever. Over the weekend, Boise hosted an event …

Electric ranges have been shown to emit fewer toxic chemicals than gas stoves. (Di Studio/Adobe Stock)

Proposal Would Lower WA Residential Buildings' Carbon Footprint

Washington state is considering a cleaner future for its buildings. The Washington State Building Code Council is holding public hearings, including …

Amtrak's Acela, at its fastest, travels at 150 miles per hour, but Northeast Maglev's proposed system could safely travel at double that speed. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed Maglev Speeds Up Ride from NY to DC

Traveling between New York and Washington D.C. takes three hours on Amtrak's Acela, but an upcoming high speed rail concept could reduce the trip to …

Part of New York State's climate law says 35% of total statewide spending on clean energy and efficiency programs must go to disadvantaged communities. (Adobe Stock)

NY Prepares Disadvantaged Communities for Climate Change Effects

New York State has been working to ensure disadvantaged communities aren't so vulnerable to the effects of climate change. However, as storms grow in …

Pollinator protectors are working to reclaim unused urban spaces, hellstrips, small yards, balconies and alleyways for native flowering plants. (Adobe Stock)

Grassroots Program Puts Hands-in-Ground for Colorado Pollinators

Some 18 recent graduates of an urban pollinator habitat-restoration program in Boulder got grants from the Endangered Species Coalition to put more na…

A new audio tour covers the Jackson area's main roads that area wildlife must cross, as well as Highways 191, 390, 22, Antelope Flats, and the routes to popular trailheads such as Old Pass Road, Cache Creek and Game Creek. (Adobe Stock)

Audio Tour Aims to Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

More than 300 elk, deer, moose and other large animals are hit and killed on Teton County Roads each year. Wildlife Highways in Teton County is a …

Once installed, a trio of solar arrays is estimated to save Maine taxpayers at least $7.2 million over the next 20 years. (Photocreo Bednarek/Adobe Stock)

MaineDOT Installing Solar Arrays to Power Capitol Complex

The Maine Department of Transportation is "going green," with plans to install solar arrays on three state-owned properties in Augusta. The …

With a 29.7% jump in population over the last decade, residents of Hell's Kitchen are calling on MTA officials for a new subway station to be built in the neighborhood. But, it could face stiff competition for funding from other proposed capital projects. (Adobe Stock)

NYC Community Calls on MTA to Build Long-Planned Subway Station

Numerous community advocates are calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to build a long-proposed subway station at 10th Avenue and 41st …

Later this year, Minnesota officials hope to receive federal approval for its plan to use infrastructure dollars, awarded to each state, to add fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

MN's EV Infrastructure on Verge of Big Growth Spurt

By 2030, Minnesota wants 20% of all light-duty vehicles on its roads to be electric. But a lot of charging stations are needed to help achieve that …

An influx of federal funds could help shape the future and speed the adoption of technologies to make Georgia's infrastructure network smarter, better connected and electric. (Pixabay)

Calls for Infrastructure Spending to Focus on Rural Georgia

President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law will disburse up to $239 million to help Georgia improve the resilience of transportation infrastr…

At least 70% of all public park restrooms in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens are not ADA compliant. In Staten Island, 45% are not ADA compliant. (Sascha Burkard/Adobe Stock)

NYC Public Restrooms Need Better Disability Access

The New York City Council is considering asking the Department of Transportation and the Department of Parks and Recreation to develop a report outlin…

As many states work to achieve their own climate goals, the United States is working toward its goal of having 30 gigawatts of electricity generated from offshore wind by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes. (Fokke Baarssen/Adobe Stock)

Offshore Wind Backers: Long-Term Benefits Outweigh Costs

As part of New York state's climate goals, Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the third competitive solicitation of offshore wind projects, with the …

On July 8, the spot price for crude oil dropped by 6.89%, but the retail gas price only fell 2.56% days later. (Adobe Stock)

Big Oil Keeping Prices High as Crude Prices Drop

A new analysis shows big oil companies are much more reluctant to lower gasoline prices when crude prices drop than they are to raise prices when crud…

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, electric-vehicle sales nearly doubled from 2020 to 2022. (Adobe Stock)

IN Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure Plan Open for Public Comment

The Indiana Department of Transportation wants Hoosiers to weigh in on the state's proposed electric vehicle charging network. The state is …

A report from the USPS Office of the Inspector General finds while upfront costs for electric vehicles may be greater, the Postal Service would save money over time by deploying more EVs. (jetcityimage/Adobe Stock)

EV Advocates: Electrifying USPS Vehicles Benefits Workers, Communities

The U.S. Postal Service is buying nearly 85,000 new vehicles, and estimates about 40% of them will be electric vehicles. That includes 50,000 new …

Electric bike sales outpaced electric cars sales in 2021. (aerogondo/Adobe Stock)

Local OR E-Bike Program Could Make for Easy Riding Across State

By Henry Houston for Eugene Weekly.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service with support from the Solutions Journalism Network It'…

USPS Boosts Electric Vehicles in New Delivery Fleet to 50%

The U.S. Postal Service is buying nearly 85,000 new vehicles, and estimates about 40% of them will be electric vehicles. That includes 50,000 new …

Those involved with AARP's Community Challenge grant program say smaller efforts, such as installing park benches in an undeserved area, can go a long way in helping to make a place livable for everyone. (Adobe Stock)

ND Reaches New Heights in Community Livability Projects

Towns and cities across America are rolling out recruiting efforts to keep their populations stable. A grant program for community-led projects puts …

One of the most common issues cited in using the New York City subway is the lack of elevator and escalator access at stations for people with disabilities, though others mistake it as an issue of convenience. (Michael Vi/Adobe Stock)

NYC Subway Aims for Accessibility for Riders with Disabilities

New York City's subway system has often been a thorn in the side of the disabled community, because only 114 of the system's 472 stations, or 24%…

New York State has several new laws the governor says will accelerate progress on achieving a net-zero-emission electrical grid by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

NYS Swift to Tackle Climate Goals

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has commissioned the Empire State Line, a $180 million power transmission line to increase transmission capacity and …

The National Low-Income Housing Coalition estimates that a family would need to make at least $45,416 per year to afford the average two-bedroom rental home in Nevada. (Zimmytws/Adobestock)

Congressional Hearing This Week Tackles Housing Crisis

Local housing advocates are speaking out ahead of a congressional hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee this Wednesday called "Nowhere to …

Electric-car sales reached a record 3 million in 2020, up 40% from 2019, according to the International Energy Agency. (Adobe Stock)

NC Pushes for Electric Trucks, School Buses to Cut Carbon Emissions

North Carolina businesses and advocacy groups want Gov. Roy Cooper to adopt new heavy-duty electric-vehicle rules by the end of next year. They say …

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, a network of 500,000 electric-vehicle charging stations will be built over the next decade. (trekandphoto/Adobe Stock))

Groups to Build EV Charging Stations Across Rural Utah, Western States

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an economical and environmentally friendly way to get from Point A to Point B, but the lack of charging stations often …

Mosier is a small Oregon town in the Columbia River Gorge with a population of about 700, according to the 2020 Census. (Ian Poellet)

Small OR Town Among Recipients of AARP Project Grant

AARP has selected six projects in Oregon to receive funds for its Community Challenge grant program. The largest grant, $20,000, is going to a …

Green roofs can help address stormwater runoff concerns such as flooding. In recent years, hurricanes, tropical storms and increased heavy rainfall have hit Marylanders with extensive<br />flooding problems. (Adobe Stock)

MD Communities Win 'Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns' Grant

Communities in Maryland have been awarded portions of a $1 million grant to support infrastructure projects such as improving local waterway health an…

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