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Articles by Matt Casale
Heat pumps 101: Efficiently heat and cool your home while saving money
Close In a webinar organized by Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund, attendees learned the basics of how to modernize their homes with heat pump technology. Homeowners told their stories of how they installed heat pumps in their homes, and heat pump professionals explained the basics of how heat pumps work, the different types of heat pump available, how to find and work with contractors, and how to make your home a good candidate for heat pump installation.
Gas stove makers have a pollution solution. They're just not using it
Appliance manufacturers and gas industry allies say there are reasons for that: these burners cost more, are less durable, harder to clean, and they didn't see consumer demand for them. But now the industry appears ready to revisit the humble gas burner. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating whether gas stoves need tighter regulations to protect human health. One commissioner even left open the possibility of banning sales of new gas stoves.
Reducing Demand Best Response to OPEC’s Oil Cuts
To increase world oil prices, OPEC and its oil-producing allies announced plans earlier this month to cut crude production. The countries will soon be pumping 2 million fewer barrels per day. In the United States, leaders on both sides of the aisle are incensed.
Reducing demand is the best response to OPEC’s oil production cuts
To increase world oil prices, OPEC and its oil-producing allies announced plans earlier this month to cut crude production. The countries will soon be pumping 2 million fewer barrels per day. But what if the strongest step we could take to ease the sting of higher oil prices and to defang OPEC had nothing to do with increasing oil supply but rather curbing demand?
Highway Boondoggles Part VI: Martinsville’s Big Miss
Martinsville Southern Connector, Va. Cost: $745 million The Virginia Department of Transportation’s proposed Martinsville Southern Connector would be an eight-mile bypass of Route 220 in southwestern Virginia running between Route 58 near Martinsville, Va., and the North Carolina border.
Highway Boondoggles, Part III: Two Big Garden State Mistakes
N.J. Turnpike and Garden State Parkway widening Cost: $16 billion+ Since it opened in 1951, the New Jersey Turnpike has undergone a seemingly endless series of expansion projects, beginning just four years into its existence when unanticipated traffic volumes prompted the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to add a raft of new lanes along an 83-mile stretch of the roadway.
Highway Boondoggles, Part II: Induced Demand Across the Ohio River
Brent Spence Bridge Cost: $2.8 billion Opened in 1963, the Brent Spence Bridge carries Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River between Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati. Notoriously congested, the bridge carries upwards of 160,000 vehicles every day — twice the number it was designed to handle.
The Supreme Court weakened the EPA's power to fight climate change -- but demand for clean energy is going strong
In 2021, more than 40% of Americans lived in a county that was hit by extreme weather connected to climate change, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal disaster declarations. Without immediate action to reduce global carbon emissions, we face an even more dire future. As the world's second-largest contributor to global warming, the U.S. must take a leading role in reducing emissions. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in West Virginia v.
Why the Joe Manchins of the world keep killing plans for green infrastructure
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth was recently asked about whether the oil giant should invest in renewable energy projects. The head of the San Ramon-based company said no, because renewable energy generates low returns for shareholders. Wirth’s remark smacks of both the Onion and 18th century French aristocratic thinking, and it’s as unhelpful to our modern predicament as Marie Antoinette was to her own.
Clean energy incentives belong in the bipartisan infrastructure package
In what has become a saga of uncertainty on infrastructure worthy of a plot line for a television soap opera, a bipartisan group of 21 U.S. senators unveiled the framework last week for a potential deal. In some ways, that’s encouraging. We need our leaders in Washington to push past partisan gridlock and move us forward in a way that brings the American people back together.
Opinion: We can’t solve the climate crisis without getting out of our cars and onto buses and trains
As Americans receive vaccines and people feel safer leaving home, an unwelcome feature of pre-COVID life, headache-inducing traffic, is coming back in full force. More than an inconvenience, this rising tide of cars and trucks returning to U.S. roads is again contributing to the threat of climate change. In the U.S., transportation is the largest source of global-warming pollution. But it gets worse: America’s transportation system is one of the biggest emission sources in the world.
Texas Blackouts Show Us How Electric Vehicles Can Help Solve Big Problems
EVs can help power homes and buildings in disasters — but only if automakers, utilities, local emergency planners and regulators start working on it now. There were many lessons to be learned from Texas’ prolonged periods of lost power during its cold snap, which saw temperatures drop into the single digits.
Ending fossil fuel subsidies: A climate solution to get behind
President Biden dubbed Jan. 27, exactly one week after he took office, “climate day.” On this day, the president followed up on his day one climate order to rejoin the Paris Agreement and revoke Keystone XL pipeline with another bigger, broader order pushing the federal government closer toward confronting the climate crisis. There is a lot to unpack in the landmark climate day order.
Boston Has a Choice Between Two Transportation Futures
In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water. In this bonus installment, Gideon Weissman and Matt Casale explore Boston, Mass. project that has Beantown at a crossroads between yet another car-centric boondoggle and a true multimodal transformation.
Highway Boondoggles 2020: S.E. Connector, Texas
A visualization of the proposed connector, via Youtube In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water. Below is the last of seven installments detailing these harmful projects. It’s our annual December donation drive.
Highway Boondoggles 2020: M-CORES, Florida
Florida’s M-CORES highway project would threaten the habitat and the survival of the endangered Florida Panther. Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water.
Highway Boondoggles 2020: I-526 Extension in S.C.
The I-526 Extension would connect to the James Island Expressway, above. Image: Wikimedia Commons In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water. Below is the fifth of seven installments detailing these harmful projects.
Highway Boondoggles 2020: Birmingham’s Northern Beltline
Construction on the Birmingham Northern Beltline was forced to pause after initial funding ran out. Credit: Alabama Department of Transportation In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water.
Highway Boondoggles 2020: Illinois’s I-57 Interchange
The proposed interchange would be built in farmland near Peotone in Will County, Illinois. Credit: Ken Lund via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water. Below is the third of seven installments detailing these harmful projects.
Meet 2020’s Worst Highway Boondoggles: The Loop 1604 Expansion, Texas
The Loop 1604/I-10 interchange would be five levels high. Credit: Texas Department of Transportation via Youtube In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water. Below is the second of seven installments detailing these harmful projects.
Meet 2020’s Worst Highway Boondoggles: The Cincinnati Eastern Bypass
Cincinnati's Eastern Bypass boondoggle was proposed as a possible alternative to replacing the aging Brent Spence Bridge, above. Image: Landline via Creative Commons In this year’s installment of its annual Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group warn of billions of dollars in proposed spending on unnecessary highway projects that would divide our communities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our air and water.
The Blueprint the U.S. Needs for Shovel-Worthy Infrastructure
(Todd Mizener/The Dispatch – The Rock Island Argus via AP, File) The projects that we choose to invest in should be ones that are going to make American lives better. We should not invest in outdated infrastructure. Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments Related Articles
Can COVID-19 Finally Kill the Highway Boondoggle?
We kick off our annual boondoggles series with US PIRG with an overview story that sets up in-depth analysis pieces that will follow over the next few weeks. The series will explore why it’s incumbent upon the next administration to quash them once and for all. Check back soon, and don’t forget to tag your elected officials if a bad highway project near you makes the list. It’s our annual December donation drive. Please give from the heart (and wallet!) by clicking here. Thanks.
The blueprint we need for a shovel-worthy infrastructure plan
The election is over, but our nation remains sharply divided. No matter what happens in the Georgia Senate runoffs to determine the ultimate makeup of the new Senate, division will remain.
Opinion: It's time for state support for regional transit in Worcester and beyond
By Staci Rubin, Andrea Freeman and Matt Casale Monday Oct 5, 2020 at 7:17 AM Oct 5, 2020 at 7:17 AM From Pittsfield to Provincetown, regional transit authorities provide the only public transportation service available in most of the 351 cities and towns across the Commonwealth. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority is no exception. Unfortunately, amid drastically declining ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s RTAs are financially struggling.
Working From Home During the Pandemic Has Environmental Benefits — But We Can Do Even Better - Resilience
By Matt Casale, originally published by The Revelator May 21, 2020 For many Americans across the country, staying home to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) means adapting to long-term telework for the first time. We’re doing a lot more video conferencing and working out all the kinks that come along with it.
T needs to move fast on electric buses - CommonWealth Magazine
Editor’s note: This op-ed was written prior to the filing of Senate climate legislation mandating an all-electric MBTA bus fleet by 2040. RESIDENTS OF THE BOSTON AREA feel the pain of transportation problems daily. Congestion is crippling the region and policy-makers are struggling to implement short-term solutions to improve public transit services. But it is not just the physical presence of vehicles that makes us miserable.
The Case Against Freeway Expansion
No one likes to sit in “soul crushing” traffic; they call it “soul crushing” for a reason. People move because of traffic. They decide not to take jobs or leave the jobs they have because of traffic. It’s not only bad for blood pressure, it’s also bad for the health of a city. More traffic means more global warming emissions and more air pollution that worsens asthma and causes heart and lung disease. It means wasted hours and lost productivity (and money) for local businesses.
Highway Boondoggles: Tar Heel State’s Road Expansion Disaster
The proposed “Complete 540” highway through the southern suburbs of Raleigh would divide neighborhoods and encourage sprawl. Image: North Carolina Dept. of Transportation In this year’s installment of its annual “Highway Boondoggles” report, Gideon Weissman of Frontier Group and Matthew Casale of U.S. PIRG Education Fund deliver a stark warning about the billions of dollars states spend on unnecessary highways that fracture our cities, deprive transit of scarce funds, and pollute our environment.
Highway Boondoggles: North Spokane Corridor
In their fourth Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group profile wasteful highway projects that state DOTs are building across the country. Our final boondoggle is the North Spokane Corridor. The proposed highway will slice through a historic Spokane neighborhood and take money from other transportation priorities in order to shave just minutes off the drive to low-density suburbs north of the city.
Highway Boondoggles: I-285 and SR 400 Interchange Rebuilding in Atlanta, Georgia
In their fourth Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group profile wasteful highway projects that state DOTs are building across the country. Today’s boondoggle: the I-285 and SR400 Interchange Rebuilding in Atlanta, Georgia. The expensive interchange project goes far beyond necessary repairs to add miles of new lanes on two highways, and is moving forward even as Atlanta residents clamor for more and better transit.
Highway Boondoggles: Pennsylvania Turnpike Expansion
By Matt Casale and Gideon Weissman Jul 6, 2018 10 Pennsylvania’s massive project to widen 470 miles of highway could threaten funding for transit services throughout the state. Image: li2nmd, CC-BY-4.0 In their fourth Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group profile wasteful highway projects that state DOTs are building across the country. Today’s boondoggle: the Pennsylvania Turnpike Expansion.
Highway Boondoggles: Interstate 35 Expansion in Austin
Interstate 35 on its route through the heart of Austin is notoriously congested, and its traffic is a constant topic of complaints and news coverage. Commuters are desperate for a fix. But a proposal to add miles of new lanes will likely only exacerbate the problems that led to congestion in the first place. The proposal being put forth by Texas officials would add four new lanes (two in each direction) along approximately 33 miles of I-35 traveling north-south through Austin.
Highway Boondoggles: I-49 Inner City Connection in Shreveport, Louisiana
In their fourth Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group profile wasteful highway projects that state DOTs are building across the country. Today’s boondoggle is a highway that would slice through the heart of a neighborhood in Shreveport. The cost is being justified with questionable economic growth projections, and the project will divert money away from needed repairs to existing roads and bridges.
Highway Boondoggles: I-94 Expansion in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, which is groaning under the weight of billions of dollars of highway debt, a major highway construction project is moving forward largely to serve a single business. Wisconsin is spending $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion (in 2009 dollars) to widen the I-94 freeway from Milwaukee to near the Illinois state line from six to eight lanes. The project will involve the replacement of seven interchanges along the route, along with the total rebuilding of many stretches of highway.
Highway Boondoggles: US 101 Expansion in San Mateo, California
Highway 101 in the San Mateo area has suffered from congestion for decades and has undergone many projects to add road capacity – including seven projects to add auxiliary lanes since 1997. Yet today, congestion is as bad as ever, often slowing to a crawl at rush hour. Years of widening projects with little impact signal that a new approach is necessary. Once again, however, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is planning to address congestion with a highway expansion.
Highway Boondoggles: LBJ East Expansion in Dallas, Texas
In their fourth Highway Boondoggles report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group profile wasteful highway projects that state DOTs are building across the country. Today we highlight the LBJ East Expansion project in Dallas, Texas. The costly expansion of an already enormous highway will create a roadway with 14 lanes plus two frontage roads.
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