Infrastructure

Already lagging broadband program faces more uncertainty under Trump

Three years after the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program began, it’s still in the planning phase.

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New Tools Help State and Local Governments Battle Ransomware, Other Big Disasters

When governments find themselves being ransomed, their choices are typically to pay, which will undercut their ability to deliver key services to their communities due to budget restrictions, or not pay, resulting in the immediate inability to serve their communities and the loss of key data that will inevitably plague them for years afterwards.

State and local lawmakers take a renewed look at speed enforcement cameras

In some states, policymakers are concerned that speed cameras are more of a cash grab than a safety protocol.

Texas wants to be a nuclear power

The state is aggressively pushing to deploy the next generation of atomic energy that would power big industrial operations.

Rural New England needs EV chargers to keep tourism revenue flowing. The Trump administration is making it harder to build them.

Compared to surrounding states, New Hampshire’s rural communities lag in charging stations, threatening the tourism sector. Suspending federal funds could make it difficult to accelerate construction.

As Texas’ energy demand soars, a pilot program looks to bolster grid with “virtual power plants” fueled by people’s homes

Some Texans who install residential batteries, solar panels and smart thermostats can now send power back to the grid and get a credit on their bill.

Trump administration tells states billions in EV charger money is on hold

Washington was in line to receive $71 million for chargers along I-5 and other roads. But the U.S. Department of Transportation says it will revamp the program.

Washington governor orders team to study data centers’ impact on energy use, job creation and tax revenue

Data centers receive some of Washington’s largest corporate tax breaks and require enormous amounts of electricity, a need that is only expected to grow with increasing reliance on artificial intelligence.

Straight to the top: new nonstop elevators to speed subway accessibility coverage

The J/Z’s Woodhaven Boulevard station in Queens is the first stop in the system where elevators bypass an existing turnstile level and deposit riders directly at the platform.

Chinese AI tech could cut projected spike in US electricity

Are we planning too many new power plants to fuel data centers? Advocates call for more protections for consumers — and the climate.

Air taxis? A spaceport? Utah is making moves — and spending millions — for a futuristic vision

Utah leaders are making moves and investing millions of dollars to bring futuristic technology to Utah, including air taxis and spaceports.

Tech startup gets on fast track to install sidewalk EV charging towers after hiring Eric Adams’ power broker

Gravity Technologies is preparing to plant “trees” to juice up city agency vehicles, with help from the lobbying firm founded by the mayor’s former chief of staff, Frank Carone.

Developers plan to build Kentucky’s first ‘hyperscale’ data center in Louisville

The operation could eventually use as much electricity as one of the state’s power plants produces.

Feds offer new data, research to refresh states’ water woes

A new report and data tool from the U.S. Geological Survey can help policymakers better understand where water supply risks exist in the U.S. to inform efforts to better manage the critical resource.

As data center boom continues, Va. legislators broach new regulations

A bipartisan coalition of Virginia lawmakers seeks to balance economic growth with energy fairness and environmental protections.

Feds still aren’t fully backing satellite for BEAD grants

States can use money from the $42 billion program to reserve space on satellite networks or reimburse providers when they hit certain milestones. But the tech can only receive money if no other options exists for an area.

AI air pollution takes deadly health toll

COMMENTARY | Air pollution from AI is expected to result in as many as 1,300 premature deaths a year by 2030 in the United States, researchers say.

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GAO mulls cost evaluation of nationwide telecom hardware replacement

One major vulnerability exploited by China’s Salt Typhoon hacking unit is a Cisco hardware flaw that can’t be patched and requires physical replacement, according to a person with knowledge of the intrusions.

Rural Montana’s China tech challenge

Montana’s two largest telephone cooperatives took a multimillion-dollar hit when the federal government pulled the plug on Chinese tech company Huawei. Now they’re getting compensated to replace it, but is it enough to do the job?

High-speed internet to expand in rural areas impacting students in seven NM school districts

Nearly 40,000 households in seven rural New Mexico school districts will receive high-speed home internet in coming months, following state grants from the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion’s Student Connect program.

Missouri city turns to tech to improve snow removal

Kansas City’s snowplow operators are clearing snow quicker and keeping residents safer with the help of a cloud-hosted platform.