Focus
L.A. aims to increase affordable housing with proposed zoning changes
Daily Breeze – August 6
The Los Angeles Department of City Planning last Thursday released plans for an incentive-based zoning system for development projects planned for downtown to include more affordable housing units. The new system would replace the existing program for the Transfer of Floor Area Rights, referred to as TFAR, with what the department called a Community Benefits Program. Under the draft proposal, the Downtown Community Plan would rezone every parcel within its boundaries to accommodate Los Angeles’ future housing and employment needs, more than doubling the land area currently eligible for housing. Unlike the TFAR program, which covers less than 25% of downtown, the proposed Community Benefits Program would expand housing, including permanent supportive and affordable housing, to about 60% of the plan area, City Planning said.
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News
Republic Services orders 2,500 Nikola electric garbage trucks, sending signal to industry
Utility Dive – August 12
Republic Services recently agreed to purchase 2,500 electric collection vehicles from Nikola Corp., pending performance, with the potential for up to 5,000 orders. Initial testing is expected to begin in Arizona and California, with wider-scale testing in 2022 and full deployment by 2023. The vehicles are expected to have a 150-mile range, up to 720 kilowatt hours of battery capacity, and the ability to collect 1,200 cans with one charge. This year has already seen growing interest in electric refuse vehicles, but the scale of Republic's order surpasses anything to date. Last year, Republic set a target to reduce its primary greenhouse gas emissions 35% by 2030.
Groups threaten to sue DOE over 26 delayed efficiency standard updates
The Hill – August 10
A coalition of environmental and other groups this Monday threatened to sue the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) over missed deadlines to update energy efficiency standards for products such as appliances. A notice of intent to sue filed by the organizations says they will sue the DOE in 60 days over its failure to update 26 standards. The deadline for the department to review the efficiency standards for items including water heaters, refrigerators, microwaves, and dishwashers go back as far as 2016 although most are more recent.
Vehicle traffic in Southern California rebounds as transit ridership continues decline mid-pandemic
Progressive Railroading – August 11
Six Southern California counties have logged a significant decline in transit use since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) first analysis of the coronavirus’ impact on travel. Transit ridership in Southern California began dropping in March and then fell sharply between 65 percent and 85 percent in April compared with the same month last year. For example, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority logged a 68 percent ridership decline in April, and the Metrolink commuter railroad recorded a 90 percent decline during the month. Vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) fell by nearly 80 percent in April from January 2020. However, total VMT is now nearing pre-pandemic levels as many businesses reopen, SCAG officials said.
Caltrans turns to recycled bottles for repaving project
Transport Topics – August 11
The California Department of Transportation is repaving a segment of a state highway using only recycled materials in a pilot project. The agency is using recycled asphalt pavement and liquid plastic made from disposable bottles to repave a section of state Route 162 in Oroville. This project marks the first time Caltrans has paved a road using completely recycled materials. The agency estimates that, using this treatment, a 1-mile segment of pavement will repurpose 150,000 plastic bottles.
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