A new memo rescinds Biden-era regulations that prioritized renewable energy, accessibility, and equity for historically disadvantaged communities.
As part of the new administration’s ongoing effort to “rescind woke policies,” the Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced it is removing environmental and social considerations for federally funded infrastructure projects.
Julie Strupp explains the action in Smart Cities Dive, noting that “The move rescinds two Federal Highway Administration memos, issued in 2021 and 2023, both titled ‘Policy on Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources to Build a Better America.’”
The Biden-era memos called for, among other things, promoting the safety of vulnerable road users, making transportation facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and accommodating “new and emerging technologies like electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation and broadband deployment in transportation rights-of-way,” and reconnecting communities historically damaged by freeways.
FULL STORY: DOT removes equity, environmental factors from IIJA funding decisions
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
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