The state's plan to dismantle and reorganize its busiest bus plaza faces allegations of civil rights violations.

A group of transit and environmental justice activists has filed a Title VI Civil Rights Act complaint against Rhode Island's Department of Transportation, reports Christian MilNeil. The plaintiffs argue that the Department's plans to dismantle downtown Providence's Kennedy Plaza, Rhode Island's biggest transit hub, would take valuable resources away from communities of color and amount to a violation of civil rights.
The suing organizations, Grow Smart Rhode Island and the South Providence Neighborhood Association, claim that the "deeply flawed and harmful plan by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT)" would "virtually eliminate the central bus hub in downtown Providence," harming Providence transit riders who are majority (53%) people of color. Although publicly available plans are vague, some documents mention a smaller, relocated bus transfer hub, new mini-hubs a quarter-mile away from the current location, and a major reorganization of RIPTA's bus routes.
President of the South Providence Neighborhood Association Dwayne Keys claims that the renovation would "make Kennedy Plaza a kind of tourist attraction" rather than improve transit for the people who already use it on a daily basis. According to the complaint, dismantling the plaza would cause disruptions, create longer commute times, and eliminate access to shelters and restrooms for bus riders, amounting to an effort to remove transit riders from Kennedy Plaza.
FULL STORY: RI’s Kennedy Plaza Plan Faces Civil Rights Challenge

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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