Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
An important, new study just came out that addresses the effect of urban planning and road development on the health risk of students attending schools near major roadways. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati looked at the proximity of public school...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Sorry that I’ve been out of the Switchboard loop for awhile. While I was away, my friends at USPIRG held a “21st Century Transportation” video contest and you can watch the winner here. (Kudos to Streetsblog for highlighting this today,...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Green Enterprise , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Recently, a good friend asked me about last year’s transition to ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). fuel. More specifically, he wondered about the price differential between ULSD and the prior low-sulfur diesel fuel (yes, in the jargon of the policy world that...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Green Enterprise , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
By now, of course, anybody who has followed the saga of congestion pricing in New York knows the outcome: on Monday, the New York State Assembly failed to vote on the congestion pricing program, ensuring that it won’t go forward,...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
On Monday, the New York City Council passed, by a margin of 30-20, the congestion pricing bill, kicking off an intense week of lobbying for its passage in Albany.This was a huge victory for Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Awesome news! Governor David A. Paterson just announced that he’s presenting a program bill to the New York State Legislature to implement congestion pricing in the City. Here’s what Governor Paterson said: “Congestion pricing addresses two urgent concerns of the residents...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
A day off from congestion pricing (at least in my blogging).Here's why: last month, I wrote a post, “Where’s the rule?” alerting Switchboard readers to our five-year wait for a strong EPA program to reduce pollution from the nation’s dirty...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Mayor Bloomberg announced a new residential parking permit program today that responds directly to one of the concerns raised by opponents of congestion pricing. Here’s the issue: would some car commuters try to avoid the Manhattan congestion charge by parking in...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
So everything is now up in the air. Governor Elliot Spitzer just resigned a moment ago, and Lieutenant Governor David Paterson is preparing to be New York’s 55th Governor. Governor-to-be Paterson is a well-liked, smart public official, with a long resume...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Over at the Times' City Room blog and Andy Revkin's dotearth blog, there’s some lively debate about a recent poll that showed that more than two-thirds of New York City residents think that, over the next fifty years, parts of...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Moving Beyond Oil , Reviving the World's Oceans , U.S. Law and Policy
Yesterday, I testified in Congress on Senator Barbara Boxer’s bill (S. 1499, the Marine Vessels Emissions Reduction Act) to require dirty, polluting ocean-going ships to use cleaner fuel within 200 miles of our coasts. (And, by the way, even after...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Where’s the rule? Unlike my colleagues who have worked on power plant and climate issues over the past eight years, I have developed the habit of welcoming new EPA rules on my diesel issues. After all, there have been no...
