Equity: Page 4
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States must assess road safety for pedestrians, cyclists under FHWA proposed rule change
The Federal Highway Administration wants to update regulations for the Highway Safety Improvement Program to align with federal equity and safety priorities.
By Dan Zukowski • March 6, 2024 -
Iowa bill seeks to bring grocery options to underserved communities
Introduced by a state representative who formerly owned a food store, the proposed legislation would provide grants of $50,000 to $500,000 to grocers with up to 10 locations.
By Catherine Douglas Moran • March 4, 2024 -
Trendline
Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
‘We are behind’: On composting, NYC’s new sanitation chair pushes for funding, transparency
Budget cuts to New York City’s community composting program are “unacceptable,” Council Member Shaun Abreu said at the first Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee hearing of the year.
By Jacob Wallace • March 1, 2024 -
Newark, New Jersey, sells residents $1 homes to fend off corporate property buyers
The city hopes the $1-home lottery will shore up local homeownership and combat neighborhood blight. It’s not the first community to try the strategy, and it likely won’t be the last.
By Gaby Galvin • March 1, 2024 -
NYC defines ‘green economy,’ projects job growth in new action plan
The 124-page plan released yesterday is the city’s latest signal that it is hungry to be at the center of climate change-related business and workforce growth.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 29, 2024 -
Pedestrian deaths declined modestly in first half of 2023: GHSA
“A decrease in pedestrian fatalities is welcome news,” said the Governors Highway Safety Association's Adam Snider, but the numbers are still far above pre-pandemic levels.
By Dan Zukowski • Feb. 27, 2024 -
Climate risk planning portal from Argonne National Lab gets new features
The portal uses one of the world's largest supercomputers to model climate change hazards. Now, communities can use it to predict impacts on vulnerable populations and infrastructure.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 26, 2024 -
EPA rolls out $83M for air quality monitoring after tightening soot standard
The Biden administration is hoping to clean up the nation’s air, but about two-thirds of U.S. counties lack air monitors, according to Earthjustice.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 22, 2024 -
Congress reintroduces PFAS litigation bill
The PFAS Accountability Act would make it easier for those significantly exposed to forever chemicals to sue manufacturers.
By Sara Samora • Feb. 16, 2024 -
Q&A
Transportation and public health ‘need to be working in collaboration with each other’
Transportation decisions that affect public health shouldn't be made in isolation, a former CDC official says.
By Dan Zukowski • Feb. 15, 2024 -
Boston area transit agency to offer half-price fares for low-income riders
Up to 60,000 riders could be eligible for the program, which has the potential to increase ridership 30% among that group, the MBTA says.
By Dan Zukowski • Feb. 13, 2024 -
Boston’s first networked geothermal project will electrify 7 public housing buildings
Geothermal systems are a promising approach to transitioning communities off fossil fuels for heating and cooling, experts say.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 9, 2024 -
Neighborhood-scale building decarbonization: 2 approaches
Relying on the replacement of one appliance at a time isn’t enough to meet federal and state climate goals, said the Building Decarbonization Coalition’s executive director.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 6, 2024 -
Chicago commuter rail begins reduced-fare program for low-income riders
The new 18-month pilot program is open to all recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the six-county region served by the commuter rail operator, Metra.
By Dan Zukowski • Feb. 2, 2024 -
US cities’ outlook for 2024
Cities are pushing ahead on innovative bids to build more sustainable, safe and equitable communities, but many of the roadblocks they face likely aren't going anywhere.
By Smart Cities Dive staff • Jan. 31, 2024 -
Extreme heat watch: Will cities be ready for summer 2024?
This year could be even hotter than last year’s record-breaker, some scientists say. Cities are using the winter to prepare.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 31, 2024 -
NOAA releases high-resolution land cover data to boost coastal climate resilience efforts
The new data is 900 times more detailed than what the agency previously provided. Local leaders have asked for such data for years, but it is often prohibitively expensive, NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 26, 2024 -
Federal lawmaker seeks funds for USDA grocery-access program
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced a bill that would require the government to provide $50 million per year to a program that incentivizes grocers to bring stores to underserved areas.
By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 24, 2024 -
Mayors urge Congress to fund broadband access program for low-income households
The Affordable Connectivity Program, which lessens the burden of internet bills for nearly 23 million households, will run out of funds this spring if it does not receive further congressional appropriations.
By Iulia Gheorghiu • Jan. 24, 2024 -
More heavy rainfall, flooding prompt NYC to create innovation working groups
Stakeholders will meet for six months to inform existing efforts and come up with new ideas as the city faces a comptroller investigation into its heavy rainfall management.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 22, 2024 -
FEMA overhauls disaster aid to help survivors recover faster
The reforms announced Friday mark the most significant update to survivor assistance in 20 years, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said. However, “implementation will be key,” one expert said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 19, 2024 -
6 trends that could shape US cities in 2024
Cities will contend with a shifting transportation picture, increased urgency to act on climate change, and innovative policies and technologies to address longstanding concerns.
By Ysabelle Kempe , Dan Zukowski , Rachel H. Pollack • Jan. 17, 2024 -
What could FEMA’s new disaster resilience zones mean for communities?
The program could be a “major inflection point in U.S. climate and disaster policy,” according to Urban Institute researchers, but the investment could also spur “green gentrification.”
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 16, 2024 -
Delivery has a pollution problem. These cities are working to address it.
A new initiative will help cities test innovative startup and corporate solutions in a bid to curb ballooning emissions, primarily from trucks.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Jan. 12, 2024 -
Outdoor workers at risk even on ‘cooler’ summer days, study finds
Researchers found that laborers came to work dehydrated and had elevated core temperatures even under moderate conditions.
By Zachary Phillips • Jan. 10, 2024