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Monday’s Headlines Are Big and Beautiful

The ginormous GOP tax and spending bill President Trump signed on July 4 will make the air dirtier, a lot of it from tailpipe emissions.

Make America Smoggy Again.

|Photo: Jay Peeples
  • The fossil fuel industry is the big winner in President Trump's reconciliation megabill, which opens up federal land and the Gulf of Mexico for more drilling (CNBC). Electric vehicles are a big loser — subsidies will soon be canceled, and the energy mix that powers them isn't likely to get much cleaner (New York Times).
  • Distracted drivers killed more than 3,500 people last year, but education and enforcement can help bring those numbers down. (Smart Cities Dive)
  • Reuters explains how concrete and asphalt contribute to the urban heat island effect.
  • With Zohran Mamdani proposing to make New York City buses fare-free, Darrell Owens presents the pros and cons. (The Discourse Lounge)
  • Raleigh awarded a construction contract for its first bus rapid transit line (WRAL), and scrapped plans to widen Six Forks Road and add bike lanes because it got too expensive. (News & Observer).
  • Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a 100-item Vision Zero action plan. (Urban Milwaukee)
  • Seattle Mayor Bruce Johnson signed legislation speeding up permitting for light rail construction. (Capitol Hill Seattle)
  • The Trump administration is loosening environmental regulations through a special waiver for Texas highway projects. (Houston Chronicle; paywall)
  • The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority still faces an $18 million deficit after the state legislature raised gas taxes to cover part of the shortfall. (eco RI)
  • Cleveland is adding protected bike lanes to East 55th Street and will incorporate bike safety lessons into gym classes. (Signal)
  • Columbus, Ohio has a plan to build 25 miles of protected bike lanes by 2028. (Dispatch)
  • The European Union set a goal of cutting carbon emissions by 90 percent over the next 15 years, and upset environmentalists by allowing countries to buy carbon credits to reach that goal. (The Guardian)

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