ASC's Intersections Newsletter — July 31, 2025
Nora’s Note
A trained workforce adds up to a healthy—green—economy in NY. ASC’s work connecting underrepresented New Yorkers with accessible pathways to good-paying jobs in energy efficiency and green construction took a new turn recently in a collaboration with Soulful Synergy’s Green Construction Training Program. Funded by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), this six-week program equips participants with hands-on weatherization training, industry-recognized certifications, and access to career services. No degree or prior experience is required, just a willingness to learn and grow. Programs like this do more than train workers—they strengthen communities, support clean energy goals, and help build a more equitable workforce from the ground up. In a time of uncertainty, they light the way to a positive future. We're honored to promote enrollment through impact marketing and outreach to make programs like this visible and accessible to the people who need them most.
Transportation
New study: Manhattan sees fewer large trucks, faster travel times under congestion pricing. A study found that 44% of roadways in the congestion relief zone saw faster truck travel times, with 431 fewer large trucks and 1,526 more multi‑purpose vans. About 40% of streets saw no change, while 16% slowed slightly. Read more to see how congestion pricing is reshaping traffic, fleet composition, and urban mobility. (Source: AMNY)
Gothamist: NYC summer open streets are back, with a route spanning Manhattan’s length
Mass Transit Magazine: BART, Frederick County, LA Metro see ridership gains
The Baltimore Banner: New MTA fares include perks for kids, penalties for Light Rail skippers
Climate
A New Jersey shore town has turned to oysters to fight sea level rise and erosion. The program turns recycled shells into engineered reef “castles” that buffer marshlands and foster new marine habitat. The approach mirrors similar efforts in estuaries like the New York–New Jersey harbor and aligns with broader oyster reef restoration goals nationwide, as promoted by NOAA Fisheries on reef habitat and coastal protection. Read more to learn how local volunteers, scientists and recycled shell programs are building shoreline resilience. (Source: Inside Climate News)
Grist: How musicians and concert venues are upping the tempo on climate action
Canary Media: As rooftop solar gets hammered, virtual power plants offer a way forward
Happy Eco News: Chattanooga National Park City: first in North America to earn historic recognition
Economic Development
City pilot aims to bring free Wi-FI to thousands of low-income households. Mayor Eric Adams announced Liberty Link, a three-year pilot to connect 35 100-percent affordable housing buildings in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx with broadband Internet, in July. The pilot, administered by the New York Public Library and the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation, and Development, will serve nearly 2,200 households. Read more to learn how Liberty Link expands on existing NYC efforts to expand Internet access. (Source: The City)
Smart Cities Dive: Maine clears the way for more multifamily housing, ADUs
CBS: Maui panel passes bill curbing vacation rentals to boost housing supply after Lahaina wildfire
Vista Today: Grant program fuels more opportunities for thousands of community members to experience the circuit trails
Digital
How are labor unions negotiating AI, surveillance, and digital tech? UC Berkeley’s Labor Center has curated a comprehensive database drawing from years of collective bargaining agreements, helping unions monitor how AI, surveillance and digital technologies are being negotiated across industries. Unions are increasingly demanding transparency, worker consultation, privacy protections, limits on automated monitoring, training investment, and benefit-sharing tied to productivity gains. Some regional federations, such as in California, are even pushing legislation to restrict off-duty surveillance and high-tech monitoring. Read more about how emerging technologies are shaping labor unions. (Source: Forbes)
GovTech: Justice and public safety leaders chart AI priorities
Route Fifty: New tool aims to help state and local governments collaborate on benefits modernization
ABC: Mayor Eric Adams announces public safety communications collaboration with Citizen app
About Arch Street Communications
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