By Brad Branan | September 23, 2024 | Comstock’s Magazine
The Swainson’s hawk is considered threatened in California, the result of lost habitat. Yet it is doing well in the Natomas Basin, in part because of a conservation plan that sets aside land for habitat, like the farm where the hawk foraged.
That could change due to four major development projects that are planned in the Natomas Basin. The projects would replace important wildland with homes, warehouses and other buildings.
By Ben van der Meer | September 13, 2024 | The Sacramento Business Journal
The Upper Westside Plan for Natomas is facing “…opposition from smart-growth advocates. The Environmental Council of Sacramento, in opposing another Natomas development project called Airport South, said they worried approval of that project and its changes to the urban services boundary would open the door to even bigger projects like the Upper Westside Plan.”
By Donald Shoup | September 10, 2024 | LA Times
Los Angeles’ broken sidewalks are like an obstacle course, especially for people with disabilities. They are bad enough to challenge the Olympic athletes who will show up in four years.
In 2016, to settle an Americans With Disabilities Act lawsuit, Los Angeles committed to spending $1.4 billion over 30 years to make its sidewalks accessible. But a 2021 audit by the Los Angeles Controller’s Office revealed that since 2016, the city had repaired less than 1% of sidewalks. During that period, the city paid more than $35 million in settlements related to sidewalk injuries.
Donald Shoup is a distinguished research professor in urban planning at UCLA.
Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155
6:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions
6:10 PM: Need to reduce air pollution in minority communities – presented by Álvaro Alvarado, Cal/EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Álvaro will present his recently published findings (in collaboration with UC Berkeley) that Californians are breathing far less pollution from vehicles than we were 25 years ago. Exposure to fine particulate matter from traffic has dropped by 65%. Communities of color and low-income communities have seen the biggest improvements. The largest reductions in air pollution levels over the past two decades happened in Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities. However, they are still exposed to higher levels than white Californians – a relative gap that did not change much. Álvaro’s branch produces CalEnviroScreen maps, which help identify communities burdened by pollution.
7:00 PM: Work in progress at Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) – presented by Kacey Lizon, SACOG Deputy Director for Planning & Programs
Kacey will present the status of “Green Means Go”, their 2025 “Blueprint”, and their upcoming regional monitoring report. Green Means Go is a State-funded program to increase the capacity of storm, water, and sewer utilities to accelerate infill housing with lower greenhouse gas emissions than housing in greenfields. The Blueprint is SACOG’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy. SACOG’s monitoring report will consist of data on transportation, land use, housing, and demographic and economic factors.
In November, we hope to continue discussions with SACOG staff on how our 6-county region can meet the State’s target for a 19% reduction in GHG from vehicles by 2035, and possible changes to Statewide legislation (e.g., SB 375 – Sustainable Communities & Climate Protection Program, and SB 743).
7:50 PM: Updates
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
With new housing, evolving business needs, and changing transportation habits, it’s time to prepare for the future. What will the next 20 years bring for Rancho Cordova amidst state and regional trends? How will new technologies reshape lives?
Attend the first in-person community workshop for the Rancho Cordova General Plan Update. City staff and the project team will be sharing information on the overall process and objectives for this important document that will guide the City’s growth and development over the next 25 years.
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 5:00pm
Camp Pollock, 1501 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815
Please join us at the Environmentalist of the Year Awards to celebrate and be inspired on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at Camp Pollock. Network, have dinner, and enjoy a walk by the river on a glowing October evening.
ECOS has a decades-long legacy of honoring local environmental leaders. The Environmentalist of the Year Awards allow us to recognize important work done by people in many fields to further sustainability.
Mailing address: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812
Email: office [at] ecosacramento [dot] net
909 12th St., Suite 203, Sacramento, CA 95814