ECOS Support for the Sacramento River Parkway

On January 17, 2023, ECOS submitted a letter of support for the the completion of the Greenhaven/Pocket section of the Sacramento River Parkway project.

Below is our letter.

The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) strongly supports the completion of the Greenhaven/Pocket section of the Sacramento River Parkway project. The project will advance the implementation of the American & Sacramento River Parkway Plans Implementation Program, which envisions an interconnected trail system adjacent to the region’s defining rivers. Like the American River Parkway, construction of this parkway trail would support regional use and tourism and provide equitable access to Sacramento’s river and open space resources to residents of the Pocket and nearby South Sacramento neighborhoods.

The completion of the Sacramento River Parkway will be a boon to bicycle commuting, offering miles of riding with complete separation from motor vehicle traffic for most of the Parkway’s length. The Sacramento River Parkway is the first eastern link in the Great California Delta Trail, a trail that will connect Sacramento to the San Francisco Bay Trail. The American River Parkway has already made Sacramento a lure for bicycle tourism. Completing the Sacramento River Parkway will enhance the draw for tourists, especially with the promised completion of the Great California Delta Trail.

The City’s Bicycle Master Plan recognizes that “the Sacramento River Parkway should be considered as backbone improvements for a City-wide low stress bicycle network.” Without the Parkway’s completion, the city will continue to lack that low-stress bicycle network.

The Sacramento River Parkway project is consistent with the City of Sacramento’s 2035 General Plan which recognizes the importance of developing a first class, multi-modal transportation network that includes supporting short- and long-distance bicycle trips. Goal M 5.1 outlines policies for an integrated bicycle system that encourages bicycling and achieves the City’s goals for bicycle mode share as documented in previous planning documents. Specific policies and goals in the General Plan include updating and maintaining the Bicycle Master Plan (BMP), providing a continuous bikeway network throughout the City, improving bicycle routes to minimize conflicts with pedestrians and motorists, supporting bicycle connections to new developments, converting underused facilities to bicycle routes, and promoting bicycling education and safety to the public.

ECOS was founded in 1971 as a visionary and action-oriented coalition for the region. Today the organizational and individual members of ECOS work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, promote smart growth land use and transportation principles, promote equity in housing, promote sustainable regional water supply for all users, public health and opportunities, and promote regional habitat conservation.

Please consider completion of the Sacramento River Parkway project for its local, regional, and national benefits.

City of Sacramento Planning Academy

The City of Sacramento Planning Academy is a free, hybrid course designed to educate, engage, and empower Sacramento residents and business owners on current planning issues and City plans underway in Sacramento. Participants can expect to learn about the City’s planning process and how planning shapes our community, with the opportunity to discuss Sacramento’s future with a cohort of civic leaders. The course objective is to provide participants knowledge, skills, and connections to encourage civic engagement in the planning process. Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with staff leading a range of planning efforts including the Sacramento 2040 General Plan, the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, Transportation Priorities Plan, Stockton Boulevard Plan, the 2022-2030 Housing Element, the Accessory Dwelling Unit Resource Enter, Missing Middle Housing Strategy, and the Existing Building Electrification Strategy. The program is intended to provide participants with tools and insights that will empower them to be more effective advocates in future City of Sacramento Planning efforts.

2023 Program Date: Monday* evenings, March 5-May 15, 2023, 5:30-7:30pm

Learn more and apply by January 30, 2023, here: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Planning/Long-Range/Planning-Academy

ECOS Climate Committee Meeting 1/19

Thursday, January 19th, 2023 – 6:00pm-7:30pm

Zoom link: ECOS ZOOM 6656164155 or call: 1 669 900 6833, Mtg ID: 665 616 4155

6:00 Welcome from Ralph Propper, Climate Committee Chair, and Susan Herre, President of BoD

6:10 Featuring: Meg Cederoth, Director of Planning and Sustainability, CA High Speed Rail Authority; Annika Ragsdale, formerly Climate Analyst for CA HSR, currently Lead Resilience Consultant for WSP

  • Overview of the California High-Speed Rail program and current construction activities
  • CA HSR’s Award-winning Sustainability Program: greenhouse gas mitigation and tracking, construction requirements, criteria air pollutant reductions, habitat conservation, and climate adaptation

6:40 Transportation Team Discussion, continued from previous night’s meeting

  • Continue discussion of “green” transportation for Sacramento region. What changes will be needed to meet the State’s climate goals by 2030, 2050? Is it greater than we are imagining?
  • How to make this new transportation team come to life. Where will it focus its energies?

This meeting is open to everyone interested in addressing one of our region’s most pressing challenges.

ECOS MTG/Board meeting 1/25

January 25, 2023, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Board meeting 6:00 – 6:45
Featured presentation 6:45 – 7:30
LINK to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 or call: 1 669 900 6833, Mtg ID: 665 616 4155

New Federal Funding for Climate and Clean Energy – How to access it to save money

Edith Thacher and Lisa Howard, of the local Citizens’ Climate Lobby chapter, will talk about the climate aspects of the Infrastructure Act, Growing Climate Solutions Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). They will describe the tax credit program in the IRA that is available to you.

The 117th U.S. Congress passed several bills that will have a powerful impact on the development of renewables and the increased efficiency and electrification of buildings. Learn about these bills and how you can access the funding for electrification and other climate-related improvements.