ASC's Intersections Newsletter — December 12, 2025

Nora's NoteTransportationEnergy/EnvironmentEconomic Development

Dec 12

Nora’s Note

Ready to go...small? With new federal procurement policy changes now in play, long-standing pathways for small, DBE-, women,- and minority-owned firms are narrowing the structural advantage that once ensured access to sizable scopes of work. But small business is a pivot master; we’re resilient, flexible, and creative. That’s why the ASC team met this week to chart the path forward in maximizing opportunities in modestly funded projects our bigger colleagues will walk past. These projects often sit at the intersection of unmet needs and low institutional risk, giving smaller firms ways to differentiate through responsiveness, rigor, and stakeholder fluency, and can be an evidence point that a team can operate with the discipline, transparency, and accountability the public sector demands, positioning teams for competitive full-and-open solicitations down the line. With tighter margins and more constrained procurement pathways, our team focused on scoping with precision, articulating value in terms that resonate with public-sector decision makers, and delivering work that is both lean and deeply defensible. These are not compressed versions of larger campaigns, but a fundamentally different mode of operating. These projects tend to touch foundational but underinvested areas like research, messaging frameworks, or stakeholder mapping, which quietly shape decisions upstream of large campaigns. When executed well, small projects provide credibility, accelerate trust-building across complex stakeholder networks, and position the team as a low-risk, high-value partner when larger funding windows open.

Transportation

Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras service between New Orleans and Mobile has carried over 46,000 passengers in its first three months, surpassing projections and earning a 96% customer satisfaction score. The route is part of a broader push to expand regional rail as a lower-emissions alternative to driving or flying. Read more about how Gulf Coast rail is making a comeback. For context, compare rail vs. air travel emissions, review Amtrak's sustainability efforts, and explore federal investments in passenger rail. (Source: Mass Transit Magazine)

Gothamist: The MetroCard is becoming a museum piece in ‘FAREwell’ exhibit
AMNY: DOT unveils newly constructed Audubon Plaza pedestrian paradise in Washington Heights
Streetsblog: Unions and environmental groups push council to pass delivery protection act

Climate

A major networked geothermal project gets underway in Connecticut. Connecticut’s first geothermal energy generation project has officially started in New Haven, which is expected to supply low-emission heating and cooling to Union Station and an adjacent new housing development. Funding for the project came from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program in 2024 and, once completed, will capture naturally occurring thermal energy stored beneath the Earth’s surface to generate renewable energy. As part of New Haven’s goal to decarbonize all city buildings and transportation by the end of the decade, many view the project as an exciting case study to what could be a promising future for geothermal energy networks across the county. Read more about the state-of-the-art project here. (Source: Canary Media)

Inside Climate News: New Jersey has a new map for its energy future. The ground under it is already shifting
Grist: How one Seattle organization is turning food waste into plant food
Anthropocene Magazine: Looks can be deceiving. This smart fungus could beat meat at its own game

Economic Development

New York City’s new project labor agreements represent a major investment in economic growth, shaping how more than $7 billion in public construction will support local workforce development. By standardizing wages, training pathways, and hiring practices, the agreements are designed to strengthen the city’s construction labor market and expand access to stable, well-paid jobs. Officials emphasize that predictable labor standards can accelerate project delivery, helping communities benefit sooner from improved infrastructure and public facilities. The inclusion of apprenticeship and local hiring requirements is expected to broaden career entry points, particularly for residents in underserved neighborhoods. Read more about the significant investments, here. (Source: Smart Cities Dive)

The City: Adams’ planners opened the door for 130K new apartments. Will Mamdani deliver them?
Multi Housing News: Affordable housing design that works in NYC: Insights from Aufgang Architects
New York YIMBY: City opens RFP process to redevelop 150-160 W 100th on Manhattan’s UWS

Digital

The U.S. House has launched a new Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs, markets, and public policy. This commission aims to help tackle the broad economic and social implications that the rapidly changing landscape of AI has brought on. The group, led by several House Democrats, plans to explore policy guardrails and workforce impacts as AI adoption grows. Read more about the commission’s goals, key lawmakers involved, and how this effort fits into broader AI policy debates like labor studies and reporting transparency in other AI legislation such as the Workforce of the Future Act and the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act. (Source: Route Fifty)

GovTech: Responsible data center builds for state, local government
Tech Crunch: The accelerator is on the floor for autonomous vehicles
Forbes: The next giant leap for AI is called world models

About Arch Street Communications

At ASC, we help government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations across the globe communicate issues that affect people’s lives. We’re the bold, nimble, women-owned small business (WBE) that has supported strategic communications programs to build stronger communities for 30 years.