ASC's Intersections Newsletter — September 11, 2026
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Nora's Note
Telling It into The Future. I didn't have a meeting until 10, so I squeezed in a step aerobics class—enough time to finish, cool off, and still make a call with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), my very first client and one that held a special place for me. Normally I'd have been at their office, but that week we'd shifted to a call.
Class started at 8. Around 8:45, over the music and the pounding of our feet, someone screamed. A television clicked on, and we all froze, watching the towers disappear against a deep blue sky, steel giving way to billowing smoke. My throat closed. I sat down on my step.
NYMTC was on the 82nd floor of the North Tower. I made it to my office and started calling, emailing. Then I remembered Bettina Browne, a longtime client, had recently started working at AON on the 96th floor of the South Tower. "Betty," I said into the phone, "are you okay? Call me." Of course, I never heard back. Betty died in the attacks, as did NYMTC staff members Ignatius Adanga, Charles Lesperance, and See Wong Shum.
I took my 9-year-old son to therapy. He used to brag that his mom "worked" at the World Trade Center; now the fear of it sent him into meltdowns whenever I left for work. The months that followed were marked by memorial services, disbelief, and a grief that never quite lifted.
My story is no different from thousands of others. But these are the stories worth repeating—again and again so generations removed from 9/11 will know the people we lost, and the hope we held onto.
Transportation
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), in coordination with a California-based nonprofit, is advancing its electric truck charging capacity—an effort that will allocate millions of dollars in funding to support its 2050 zero-emission freight goals. This fall, two programs will boost the incentive initiative with a $45 million investment to expand the purchase of electric trucks and related charging station equipment. This investment will support the growth of the charging effort that began at the port in 2025, with four fast chargers installed at Port Newark. Learn more about the Port’s freight plans, here. (Source: Transport Topics)
Gothamist: NYC loosens restrictions on outdoor dining, reversing some post-pandemic rules
AMNY: NYC begins construction on Manhattan’s 116th Street bus lanes aiming to speed up commutes for 65,000 daily riders
Mass Transit Magazine: VVTA, Riverside Transit Agency mark milestones in hydrogen-powered transit
Climate
Virginia further cements itself as a clean energy pioneer as Roanoke City Public Schools installs solar-and-battery-powered microgrids in each high school. The microgrids, funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and a donation from the installer Secure Solar Futures, propel the school system into a clean future. Not only do they transition away from reliance upon oil and gas, but they reduce costs, minimize its carbon footprint, double as disaster shelters, and provide clean energy training programs for students. In 2020, Virginia passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), a foundational policy that set the stage for these microgrids 6 years later. Applications for other Virginia districts are open now. Read more on this clean energy innovation here. (Source: Canary Media)
Inside Climate News: New Mexico bans uranium leasing on state lands
Grist: Fiber optic cables reveal ‘icequakes’ in endangered glaciers
Happy Eco News: Driving at the speed limit saves carbon, new study finds
Economic Development
With federal support for climate resilience becoming less reliable, cities are looking for other ways to fund projects they can’t afford to put on hold. Local leaders are turning to tools like climate banks, revolving funds and public-private partnerships to fill funding gaps and keep resilience work moving. The shift is also pushing cities to think more creatively about how projects are financed and how local priorities can shape where those dollars go. Read more on how cities are financing climate resilience here. (Source: Smart Cities Dive)
The City Reporter: On Labor Day, Mamdani debuts ‘worker power’ office to support union organizing
Latination: New York offers free cool roofs to beat the heat and lower energy use, here’s how to apply
Planetizen: Rhode Island the second state to ban ‘scorched-earth’ covenants on grocery stores
Digital
As organizations race to decide how AI fits into their work, the University of Chicago’s Social Sciences Division is trying a different experiment. In its core courses, students are being asked to put away their devices and complete coursework without artificial intelligence. The goal is not to reject technology. It is to protect the kind of work these classes are designed to teach, including close reading, sustained argument, and the ability to disagree thoughtfully with another person. There is a useful lesson here beyond the classroom. The arrival of a powerful new tool does not mean it belongs in every part of the process. Good technology strategy also means knowing when not to use a tool. It also means relying on human expertise and continuing to grow human knowledge. Learn more about the initiative here. (Source: GovTech)
Route Fifty: AI and the new rules of digital trust: watermarks
TechCrunch: Florida and Texas move to block flock cameras over privacy concerns
Wired: How NASA testing changed US food inspection forever
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