Today, Sierra Club, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) and Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk (FOSH), represented by Patrick Soluri, of the firm, Soluri-Meserve, filed a lawsuit in Superior Court challenging the approved expansion of the City of Sacramento’s potential boundary in North Natomas. The 474-acre expansion requested by private landowners is intended to allow them to develop 6 million square feet of megawarehouse space on farmland next to wildlife preserves managed by the Natomas Basin Conservancy, and the Westlake Community, including the Paso Verde School.
The lawsuit challenges the project’s deficient environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act. It also challenges the failure of the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (SacLAFCo) to follow its own policies in its approval of the landowner application. The Project site is currently zoned and used for agricultural purposes. Its ongoing status as agricultural land is critical to maintain continued effectiveness of the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (“NBHCP”), an enforceable legal agreement between City, Sutter County, and Federal and State wildlife agencies which has guided urban development in the Natomas Basin for over 25 years.
The transportation sector is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and threatens healthy air quality in communities. What is working and not working in California? Join us for an update of strategies to improve it, and examples of local transportation decarbonization efforts.
Environmental Council of Sacramento Climate Change Committee Meeting: July 17, 2025 Decarbonizing California’s Transportation – Is It Working? Hybrid meeting: On Zoom and at Mogavero Architects, 1322 T St., Sacramento Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 | To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155 6:30 PM: Social period (for those in-person) / 7:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions, Zoom start
7:10 PM: California’s Climate Goals Are in Jeopardy! Neil Matouka, Net-Zero California
California’s ambitious decarbonization goals rely on several federal, state, and local implementation policies. This makes our goals vulnerable, given the change in federal administration, and the unpopularity of certain necessary actions at the regional and local levels. Neil Matouka will show us an indicators dashboard for statewide tracking of our climate goals (ZEVs, Renewable Portfolio Standard, land conservation, etc.), and show climate impact resources available to support decision makers and community members.
At Net-Zero California, Neil manages its Clean Power program, developing and implementing data-driven policies to address climate change challenges. Neil launched California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment at the Office of Planning and Research, and served as the Air Resources Board’s Local Government Climate Action Planning Liaison, working with communities to develop climate solutions and transition to an equitable, low-carbon future.
7:30 PM: Communities Matter! – Environmental imperative, safety imperative, socioeconomic imperative. Larry Rillera, California Air Resources Board
Larry Rillera will present key clean transportation regulations and incentives, and give examples – such as Sacramento’s Green Technical Education and Employment. Larry will also discuss outreach and engagement, and how we can get ready for an upturn.
At the Air Resources Board, Larry serves on interagency teams and public-private-partnership ventures, engaging with communities, tribes, and businesses to decarbonize the transportation sector, including heavy-duty vehicles. At the California Energy Commission, Larry developed financing solutions for solar panel manufacturers, electric vehicle charging stations, and ZEV manufacturing. He has also developed career pathway programs at schools and with community-based organizations.
7:50 PM: Join the discussion! Questions will include:
What are opportunities and barriers to decarbonize the transportation sector?
What is the state of environmental justice in this work?
How can we at ECOS (and others) get involved?
After Q&A, we’ll have updates and announcements (open to all).
