Initial funding for digital equity plans is available. But how do states plan to use it?
Some have identified creative solutions to address affordability, digital skills and accessibility issues. But one approach—reliance on the federal internet subsidy that is about to expire—could force some states back to the drawing board.
3 tips for short-term land-use planning
COMMENTARY | As populations grow and real estate requirements change, cities or counties should regularly evaluate their mix of land use designations so they get the kind of development they can live with long term.
Too many cubicles, too few homes spur incentives to convert offices to housing
States are stepping in with tax breaks and zoning changes to help replace the unwanted cubicle farms with much-needed housing.
Key takeaways from the Explore Act, one of the largest outdoor recreation bills ever
The proposal will streamline the permitting process for outdoor recreation companies, study internet access at National Parks, identify potential long distance bike trails and paths, and support recreation and tourism economies and towns.
Under new partnership with feds, state AGs can investigate airline complaints
States have not been allowed to pursue air carriers for violating consumer protection laws since 1978, but a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation will give attorneys general power to probe and report violations.
Hundreds of millions up for grabs in environmental justice grants
Housing, air monitoring, green jobs and coastal resilience are some of the initiatives that could receive funding under the Inflation Reduction Act.
8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?
The climate benefits of shared e-scooters depend upon how companies deploy and manage them, and what steps are taken to keep riders safe.
Powering down: To prevent wildfires, states try turning off the grid
COMMENTARY | The trend started in California, but now more states are opting to shut off power to parts of the grid in extreme conditions.
Senate rebukes Biden administration on effort to reduce vehicle pollution
Three Democrats and one independent joined the chamber’s Republicans, arguing the Federal Highway Administration overstepped its authority in requiring states to track greenhouse gas emissions. But the president threatened to veto the measure.
‘Valuable and largely overlooked:’ Interest in virtual power plants grows
Virtual power plant programs can be a cost-effective way to support a strained electric grid at a time when huge projected electric demand increases loom.
New Houston mayor reverses course on bike, pedestrian improvements
Mayor John Whitmire ordered pedestrian islands removed, froze projects with bike lanes and suggested cyclists stick to “recreational” trails. It’s a big change in direction from his predecessor’s approach.
EPA issues first-ever drinking water standards for ‘forever chemicals’
The Biden administration also announced nearly $1 billion in newly available funding to help public water utilities implement PFAS testing and treatment.
City-country mortality gap widens amid persistent holes in rural health care access
As rural health services continue to erode, population health declines and mortality rates increase. That endangers local economies and employment, rural health experts say.
Turf wars: States, cities grow skeptical of artificial grass
Bans on synthetic turf look to address its impact on the environment and human health.
Rural students’ access to Wi-Fi is in jeopardy as pandemic-era resources recede
COMMENTARY | Internet access among rural students had begun to decline in 2022, putting them at significant educational disadvantage compared with their better-connected peers. This trend is likely to accelerate with the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program.
2022 was the ‘worst year ever for bicyclist deaths,’ new data shows
Safety advocates blame the upswing in cyclist deaths on larger, more powerful vehicles that have become more common on American roads in the last decade.
End of internet subsidies for low-income households threatens telehealth access
Telehealth enables preventative care and keeps people out of emergency rooms, so loss of the subsidy will have real impacts on health outcomes, experts warn.
California’s new rules allow solar and batteries to help out the grid
Utilities tend to treat solar and batteries as threats to their power grids. California’s policy will now tap their flexible power to benefit the grid instead.
North Carolina tried to rebuild affordable housing after a hurricane. It took half a decade.
Documents show how federal paperwork delayed the state’s recovery from Hurricane Florence and left low-income renters in the lurch.
Biden administration mandates two-person crews on freight trains
The new rules from the Federal Railroad Administration come after nearly a dozen states passed similar requirements in the last decade.
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