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It hardly feels like ‘news’ for Congress to be hurtling towards a standoff over the debt ceiling, but what is new is that the conflict has as much to do with energy policy as with spending. Republicans hope to use the risk of default to chip away at President Biden’s climate initiatives, including EV tax credits and clean energy subsidies. Meanwhile, Democrat Joe Manchin, who helped write the climate law, is threatening to sue the administration, whom he accuses of undermining ‘Buy America’ provisions of the EV tax credit.
In other news, Lyft announces major layoffs that could affect 30% of their workforce. In good news for Tesla, a jury agrees with the automaker that it’s not responsible for the injuries a woman suffered when the car was operating in Autopilot. In less-good news for Tesla, its Q1 earnings were down significantly from the past year, prompting it to rethink recent price cuts. Also, New York City considers making some buses fare-free, an idea that some transit supporters believe will end up hurting those it’s intended to help. At the same time, New York’s MTA is one of many transit agencies beefing up enforcement against fare evasion.
Finally, has environmentalism become too doom-and-gloom? The Decarb Bros think optimism is the way forward.
The debt ceiling debate is about energy: House Republicans say they will agree to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for big spending cuts. However, the bulk of their spending plan focuses on changing U.S. energy policy by increasing fossil fuel production and cutting many of the clean energy investments from President Biden’s climate bill. The White House has responded by accusing the GOP of sacrificing thousands of jobs. Fasten your seatbelts, folks.
Lyft to make big cuts: The ride-hailing giant will make significant cuts that could affect 30% of the company’s headcount, or 1,200 jobs. A spokesperson says the moves are needed for a “great and affordable experience for riders and improving drivers’ earnings.”
Congrats to our friends and LA New Mobility Challenge winner: itselectric on their new partnership with Hyundai CRADLE. The pilot program will be itselectric’s largest public demonstration of its charging network, which is designed to help cities meet their carbon reduction targets and reduce capital expenditure. The pilot is a result of itselectric being named as a finalist in Hyundai CRADLE’s EV Open Innovation Challenge.
Arnold Schwarzenegger works to terminate California’s potholes: The extreme weather that has ravaged California in recent months has left the state’s roads riddled with potholes. While state and city governments are rushing to repair as many as they can, the crisis has also prompted legions of volunteers to take matters into their own hands. Arnold Schwarzenegger, an avid cyclist, has become a prominent spokesman for the cause.
New York City considers free buses: State lawmakers have proposed a pilot program that would make 10 bus routes in New York City free. The MTA would forfeit a projected $50 million in revenue, which would be made up with funding from the state. Right now there are about 1.3 million daily boardings on the city’s buses, about 59% of pre-pandemic levels.
Autonomous meat travel: Meat processing giant Tyson Foods strikes a deal with Kodiak, the Silicon Valley autonomous trucking startup, to ship its goods between Dallas and San Antonio. The trucks will be driving autonomously – but with a safety operator at the wheel.
Jury sides with Tesla in suit over Autopilot: A California jury awarded no damages to a woman who sued the automaker, blaming its driver assistance system, Autopilot, for crashing into a street median on a city street in Los Angeles. The driver suffered a broken jaw and nerve damage from the airbags. Tesla had argued that it warned users not to use Autopilot on urban streets.
Tesla raises prices after lackluster Q1: After reporting a 24% year-over-year drop in income in Q1 largely due to steep price cuts, Tesla reverses course and hikes prices for the Model S and Model X by between $2,200 and $2,700.
Joe Manchin blasts Biden administration on EV tax credit: The West Virginia senator, key to brokering the massive climate bill that passed last year, accuses the Biden administration of trying to skirt around the domestic sourcing requirements for the EV tax credit. Among other things, he claims the administration has classified certain powders as “critical minerals” instead of “battery components,” thereby allowing automakers to buy them from foreign sources without risking their tax credit eligibility. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm contests his accusations and says the administration is committed to promoting American manufacturing.
The best thing for housing? Eliminate parking requirements: As Colorado lawmakers take aim at zoning regulations that block much-needed housing in the state’s fast-growing cities, Nathaniel Minor of Colorado Public Radio takes a look at the zoning reforms that have had the biggest effect on housing across the country. He finds that eliminating parking requirements likely has done more than eliminating single-family zoning. Good news, then, for Austin, where the City Council is poised to approve a new “market-based” parking policy that will free developers to devote more space to housing for people instead of housing for cars.
The costs & benefits of fare enforcement: CityLab takes a look at the many transit agencies around the country that are trying to crack down on fare evasion. There’s no doubt that fare evasion is costing them millions, but what’s not clear is whether the benefits of stiffer enforcement, whether it’s more transit cops or new technology, outweighs the cost.
A better solution than free transit: In CommonWealth Magazine, Nicholas Dagen Bloom recounts the history of public transit in the U.S., which began as private services paid for entirely by customers but eventually transitioned into public services that are heavily subsidized by taxpayers. That shift has corresponded with degraded service and reduced public support for transit. Eliminating fares entirely, he argues, risks further damage to transit when it is already facing an existential crisis.
Meet the Decarbonize Bros: The New York Times introduces us to the Darcarb Bros, a term describing those who are optimistic that technology will solve the climate crisis. They reject what they view as a message of despair and austerity from the mainstream environmental movement. Instead, they argue that future-looking investments by governments and free market innovation will be an economic and environmental boon.
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