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ATHENA

@athenax9.bsky.social
33 followers 36 following 14 posts

UCS federal policy advocate working to electrify our transportation system to solve our air pollution problems & protect our climate | opinions my own

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Steven Higashide @stevenhigashide.com · 11/05/2026
One reason Congress writes checks for bigger highways despite the public demanding different choices? The influence game played by the road lobby. New research summarized by @kevshen.bsky.social here (blog.ucs.org/kshen/the-hi...) scrutinizes the tactics of the DC groups pushing road construction.
blog.ucs.org
The Highway Lobby Spends Millions to Make Sure We Pay Billions
Our car-dependent transportation system is no accident.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
From nationwide #EV charging to pollution-free buses, trucks, biking, and walking: these investments save money and lives. Congress must protect and expand them, not roll them back. Let’s keep building a cleaner, more affordable transportation system. 👏 #ChargingUSForward
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 10/02/2026
Grateful to @markey.senate.gov for defending fuel economy standards that protect consumers, public health, and our climate. Rolling them back only raises costs. Thank you for fighting for cleaner, cheaper transportation. #CleanerCars #RouteZero
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 11/02/2026
Thank you @davids.house.gov for pushing back on attacks on federal fuel economy standards. These rules save drivers thousands, cut pollution, and strengthen U.S. energy security. #CleanerCars #RouteZero
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 09/02/2026
Thank you, @dorismatsui.bsky.social, for standing up for strong fuel-economy standards that save families money, cut pollution, and reduce oil dependence. Clean transportation is affordable transportation. #CleanerCars #RouteZero
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 02/02/2026
💰🚗For more than a half century, fuel efficiency standards have saved US drivers money. How much money? TRILLIONS. Fuel efficient vehicles mean less expensive trips to the gas pump and more money for education, for family outings, for groceries. (🧵👇)
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 15/01/2026
🚍🌍 UCS is keeping an eye on the Surface Transportation Reauthorization(STR) because it shapes how the US moves—and who benefits. For decades, highway projects have divided and polluted communities. It’s time for a better approach. Learn more in our recent blog: act.ucsusa.org/45fndps
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 28/08/2025
Our expert Samantha Houston is skeptical about National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program's final guidance under Trump. Read more: act.ucsusa.org/45GtH1a
act.ucsusa.org
Federal EV Infrastructure Investments Poised to Move Ahead: Here’s What’s Changed Under Trump
The next few months will be telling.
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Senate EPW Democrats @epw.senate.gov · 21/08/2025
The Trump agenda is sending energy prices skyrocketing. Even worse, his Big-Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill will drive your power bills even higher.
npr.org
Electricity prices are climbing more than twice as fast as inflation
Electricity prices are rising more than twice as fast as overall inflation. That's especially costly during the dog days of summer when air conditioners are working hardest. In addition to hot weath...
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Eos @eos.org · 19/08/2025
Today marks day 1 of public hearings on the EPA’s reconsideration of the endangerment finding, a 2009 declaration that greenhouse gases threaten public health. Follow along with us👇🧵
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 18/08/2025
Electric trucks & buses = reduced climate-warming pollution & poor air quality. Thankfully, key policies can accelerate adoption. EPA’s Clean School Bus Program TRIPLED electric school bus deployment in the US. Learn more about MHDV deployment here:
ucs.org
Ready for Work 2.0
Electrifying our on-road freight system is the surest way to reduce truck pollution and improve air quality.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 01/08/2025
We noticed something important when the administration was announcing they don’t want to regulate heat-trapping emissions. You can see more about the link between climate change and the extreme weather we see here: ➡️ dangerseason.ucs.org
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 31/07/2025
🧘‍♀️ Struggling to find a moment of calm amidst all the bad news this summer? MindLab offers practical, science-based techniques to help science supporters manage stress, regulate emotions & navigate uncertainty. Join us for free virtual sessions every Wednesday, 11:30 am ET. ➡️ act.ucsusa.org/45bB0wj
A promotional graphic for "MindLab" weekly virtual mindfulness sessions, co-hosted by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Environmental Protection Network. The background shows two people walking on a forest path surrounded by tall trees. Text reads:
MindLab – Weekly Virtual Mindfulness Sessions. Open to all scientists, public servants, and science supporters. Facilitated by Dr. Lena Adams Kim. Wednesdays, 11:30am–12:00pm ET, through the end of October 2025.” A QR code in the bottom right corner invites people to scan to register.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 30/07/2025
Think rail is a clean transportation source? Think again. 🤔 UCS Senior Vehicles Analyst explains why and how the rail industry has hindered progress in emission reduction over the past decade:
blog.ucs.org
Railroads Are Running Dirty Diesel Trains Through Communities and No One Is Doing Anything About It
The case for rail electrification is clear in the benefits to the economy, public health, and environment.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 30/07/2025
🚂Yesterday, @markey.senate.gov and @deluzio.house.gov reintroduced the transformative All Aboard Act, which would dedicate billions of investments to modernize our nation’s rail, reducing locomotive emissions and securing critical labor protections:
markey.senate.gov
Sen. Markey, Rep. Deluzio Introduce Legislation to Transform U.S. Rail Network | U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts
All Aboard Act dedicates $200 billion over five years to build transportation system of the...
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 29/07/2025
Today, the EPA released a proposal that would gut the 2009 Endangerment Finding. “These actions by Lee Zeldin are anti-science and backed by the fossil fuel industry, said Chitra Kumar, Managing Director, UCS Climate & Energy campaign.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 28/07/2025
Uber’s new Route Share shows people want affordable, flexible options—but it falls short and worsens climate impacts. What if we met that demand sustainably, by investing in public transit🚍, safe bike lanes, and walkable routes to get where we need to go?
A person leans into the back seat of a black Uber car, seen from the outside. Overlaid on the image is a quote in white text:
“Everybody will say, ‘Silicon Valley’s reinventing the bus again,’ but it’s more like [Uber is] reinventing a worse bus.”
—Kevin Shen, Transportation Policy Analyst.

At the bottom is the logo for the Union of Concerned Scientists. The image is credited to Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Jacob Bogage @jacobbogage.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
A reprieve for the USPS trucks: The Senate parliamentarian ruled overnight that this provision violates the rules of budget reconciliation It **cannot** appear in Trump and Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 16/06/2025
🚨 Last week CA and 10 other states announced plans to sue the Trump Admin for their illegal attempt to repeal 3 clean air safeguards. @governor.ca.gov responded with an EO reaffirming CA’s commitment to a clean vehicle transition. 👏 Kudos to Gov Newsom for keeping CA moving forward.
ucs.org
California Leads States in Suing the Trump Administration Over Its Revocation of Air Pollution Standards
California and ten other states are suing the Trump administration over its revocation of three waivers that let California set standards to improve air quality, reduce climate-warming emissions and p...
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 09/06/2025
1/ The Trump administration is turning our government into a weapon to attack families and undermine our fundamental rights and freedoms. Its tactics of escalating violence against migrant communities in Los Angeles are deeply concerning and signal a further slide into authoritarianism.
theatlantic.com
For Trump, This Is a Dress Rehearsal
Ordering the National Guard to deploy in Los Angeles is a warning of what to expect when his hold on power is threatened.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 03/06/2025
Hurricane season started last weekend—and acting FEMA head David Richardson reportedly told staff he didn’t know the US had one. Clueless? Joking? Either way, the guy running US disaster response is giving big Michael Scott energy—and that’s really bad. Some comments from his tenure:
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LCV – League of Conservation Voters 🌎 @lcv.org · 04/06/2025
Call your senators at 202-224-3121 and tell them to stop the #BillionaireTaxScam 🗣️
Car swerving meme
Car labeled "Republican budget bill" swerving away from "helping ordinary Americans" lane into "Banning clean energy, cutting taxes for billionaires, raising costs for ordinary Americans" off-ramp.
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Senator Alex Padilla @padilla.senate.gov · 21/05/2025
Republicans want to overturn half a century of precedent to undermine California’s ability to protect the health of our residents. Why? Because to them, it’s more important to appease big oil than it is for your kid to breathe clean air.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 14/05/2025
Toyota has joined fossil fuel companies in asking the US Senate to prevent California from taking necessary steps to slow climate change and protect its residents from air pollution that is making people sick and shortening lives. Learn the details in UCS's David Reichmuth's blog.
blog.ucs.org
Why Does Toyota Oppose Clean Air?
There is no way to protect our health and our climate by simply making better gasoline cars.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
"For a party so dedicated to protecting the filibuster, Republicans are going to extreme lengths to undo California’s Clean Air Act waivers." Op-ed from Senator Padilla: www.wsj.com/opinion/what...
wsj.com
Opinion | What if Republicans Ditch the Senate’s Rules?
If they can ignore the parliamentarian on electric vehicles, why not on their tax bill? On healthcare? On the president’s latest overreach?
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 29/04/2025
#CA business and clean air organizations, including #IBEW CA, oppose the attacks on California’s Clean Air Act authority, which has put people to work across the state. Protecting the Advanced Clean Cars Program ensures more work is on the horizon! ibew.org/ibew-califor...
Brochure reads "The Advanced Clean Cars Program Creates Good Jobs in California. Over a quarter of a million people are now employed by our EV industry. The growth in charging infrastructure alone will create even more valuable union electrical jobs and skilled training opportunities. We are ready to power millions of zero-emission cars, trucks, and buses. Defend our EV jobs! Support California's clean car standards!
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
🧑‍🔬 Scientists, technical experts, and STEM students: learn how to engage local media to save science! Join @ucsusa.bsky.social for a science advocacy webinar on April 17 from 8-9pm ET about how to write & submit a letter to editor. RSVP 👇 secure.ucs.org/a/2025-4-17-...
secure.ucs.org
Sharing Stories of Science through Letters to the Editor
The Union of Concerned Scientists invites scientists and experts to a science advocacy training webinar on writing letters to the editor to inform and influence different audiences about the impacts o...
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Green 2.0 @green2-0.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Today and beyond, we celebrate the history and vibrant culture of Arab Americans who have enriched our communities.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Are your Congressional representatives organizing a town hall near you? Join UCS’s upcoming training, “Holding Congress Accountable: How to Ask Tough Questions at Town Halls,” Next Tuesday, April 8, at 8pm ET. RSVP here: secure.ucs.org/a/2025-4-8-t...
secure.ucs.org
Holding Congress Accountable: How to Ask Tough Questions at Town Halls
The Union of Concerned Scientists invites scientists and experts to a training webinar on
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
🚨 ICYMI: The automobile industry that once lobbied against *life-saving safety protections* like seat belts & air bags🚗 currently support a Senate bill that would prevent EPA & DOT from considering the best available technology to protect communities against tailpipe pollution -⚡electrification.
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 25/03/2025
🚝 Ever seen The Simpsons episode “Marge vs. the Monorail”? Turns out, life imitates art. Remember when Elon Musk won a bid for high-speed transit in Chicago? He pitched futuristic tech that didn’t exist—and, surprise, his proposal was never built. Sound familiar?
youtube.com
Musk and the Monorail
YouTube video by Union of Concerned Scientists
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 21/03/2025
We’re thrilled to announce that UCS President Dr. Gretchen Goldman & Dr. Adrienne Hollis of @nationalwildlife.bsky.social are the 2025 William K. Reilly Environmental Leadership Award winners! Given by American University, the award honors leaders driving impactful environmental solutions. Congrats!
american.edu
SPA’s Center for Environmental Policy Announces 2025 William K. Reilly Leadership Award Winners
Announcing the 2025 William K. Reilly Leadership Award winners
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 19/03/2025
In 2018 Musk won a bid for high-speed transit in Chicago. He tried to sell the city on technology that didn’t exist and his proposal was never built. He lied and showed little regard for public services. "We are now seeing the consequences of putting someone like that in a position of power." Blog:
blog.ucs.org
Transportation Professionals Saw Elon Musk’s Lies and Disdain for the Public Firsthand.
We can't sit on the sidelines now.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
This is the "America's Back!" it's giving. 💕
Image of polluted Cuyahoga River on fire in in Cleveland, Ohio
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Dave Cooke @ucsdave.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
#EPA administrator Lee Zeldin admits he has no idea how the economy functions, what his agency is required to do by Congress, or how cost-benefit analysis works: www.epa.gov/newsreleases...
epa.gov
EPA Announces Action to Implement POTUS’s Termination of Biden-Harris Electric Vehicle Mandate | US EPA
EPA News Release: EPA Announces Action to Implement POTUS’s Termination of Biden-Harris Electric Vehicle Mandate
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Sadly not shocking: Trump's EPA is planning to weaken federal vehicle emission standards that would have improved our air quality and helped us address climate change. www.ucs.org/about/news/e...
ucs.org
EPA’s Transportation Deregulation Would Harm Health and the Environment
The EPA announces the weakening of two federal emissions standards projected to reduce climate-warming emissions, improve air quality and save consumers money.
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Dave Cooke @ucsdave.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Who needs Chappell Roan when you've got hard-working advocates in Chicago? Warning: this video about IL House Bill 1634 is catchy AF. **A-C-T and H-D-O: Pass the bill in Illinois** Still time to get your comments on #cleanair and #cleantrucks. #ZeroMustMeanZero www.instagram.com/lvejo20/reel...
instagram.com
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization on Instagram: "Repost/created by: @carolynbido🔥🤍🎤 ‼️Submit a public comment on how diesel truck activity impacts you and your community to the IL Pol...
377 likes, 10 comments - lvejo20 on March 8, 2025: "Repost/created by: @carolynbido🔥🤍🎤 ‼️Submit a public comment on how diesel truck activity impacts you and your community to the IL Pollution Contro...
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Kevin Xu Shen 沈志文 @kevshen.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
It all adds up--check out my latest blog on cumulative impacts and transportation, NEPA, and policies that holistically protect communities from harm. Esp. in these times, we must hold the line AND keep the vision for a healthy and just future. blog.ucs.org/kshen/transp... s/o @ourstreetsmn.org
blog.ucs.org
Transportation Burdens Add to All that Communities Are Already Facing
We need a more holistic approach that includes the total cumulative impacts on communities, not a project-by-project approach that can make the impacts seem smaller than they are.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Love this advice from Addie Haughey 🏆We can't be effective advocates for others until we learn how to set boundaries for ourselves. #SelfCare #Advocacy
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
"folks living near a busy highway are breathing in more tailpipe pollution, facing higher risks of car crashes in their neighborhoods, and suffering from decreased quality of life and economic growth—all at once." @kevshen.bsky.social blog.ucsusa.org/kshen/transp...
blog.ucsusa.org
Transportation Burdens Add to All that Communities Are Already Facing
We need a more holistic approach that includes the total cumulative impacts on communities, not a project-by-project approach that can make the impacts seem smaller than they are.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
"The truth is that standards can be met, and with fewer sales than the opponents of ACCII claim." ⚡🚘@davereichmuth.bsky.social blog.ucsusa.org/dave-reichmu...
blog.ucsusa.org
What the Auto Industry Isn’t Telling You About California’s Clean Vehicle Rules
Economic benefits for drivers and reduced air pollution
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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 27/02/2025
Despite saying they want to cut waste & inefficiency, the Trump Admin has said they’re eliminating 8,000 already installed EV charging stations & 25,000 federally owned EVs. This petty action will cost $1.325 B taxpayer dollars, just to stop gov employees & visitors from using cleaner technology.
eenews.net
Trump’s reversal of EV program could carry a hefty price tag
The General Services Administration is disconnecting charging stations and may try to offload the government’s new fleet of electric vehicles.
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Important thread 🧵on why shrinking EPA is very, very dumb:
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Our transition to a zero-emission transportation system is critical ⚡ - and we need to get it right! UCS put together the key actions needed to reduce the environmental & social impacts of batteries 🔋 that power EVs: 👇https://www.ucsusa.org/ev-and-energy-storage-batteries-sustainability
ucsusa.org
EV and Energy Storage Batteries Sustainability
The batteries that power electric vehicles and store energy are vital to cutting harmful emissions and they should be as low-impact as possible. In
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U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor @usrepkathycastor.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
I will be in @energycommerce.bsky.social all day demanding answers from Republicans on why they are letting an unelected billionaire take over our government. Tune in here: youtu.be/6k-lqaPgWMU
youtu.be
Full Committee Markup of the Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 119th Congress
YouTube video by Energy & Commerce Democrats
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ATHENA @athenax9.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Fun fact: In 2023, Washington, Florida, Georgia, and California were four states in which over 5% of all truck and bus registrations were zero-emissions. ⚡
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