Of 35 recommendations presented in the state’s climate scoping plan, just one has been implemented so far.

The suspended congestion pricing plan that would have charged drivers entering parts of New York City is just one of the climate policies the state has backpedaled on in recent months, writes Colin Kinniburgh in a piece for New York Focus.
The Department of Environmental Conservation has not required certain trucks to be zero-emissions. The Department of State has not updated the manuals that cities use for street design. And the state legislature has not taken any of the actions that the scoping plan pushed it to. Most haven’t even been introduced as legislation.
The state’s climate scoping plan “recommends ‘historic investments’ to expand public transit and promote ‘smart growth,’ a form of urban planning that revolves around dense, walkable city centers.” Yet of the 35 policy recommendations laid out in the plan, just one has been completed. “Just over half have seen some signs of progress, ranging from lawmakers introducing (but not passing) bills to agencies administering small grants.”
While the state has made some progress on electrification in the transportation sector, little has been done to reduce overall driving, which the plan admits is crucial to achieving a net-zero future. “Modeling by the clean energy research group RMI found that a 20 percent reduction in driving would not only shave emissions, but also save the lives of thousands of New Yorkers each year by reducing crashes, improving air quality, and promoting exercise.”
FULL STORY: New York Idles on Green Transportation Plan

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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