Former Mayor Heather Fargo shares her concerns about the proposed Airport South Industrial Project, a landowner proposed project in the Natomas Basin. Join her in opposing the project and attend the June 26, 2025 meeting – 5:30 at 915 “I” St, in the Sacramento City Council Chambers at New City Hall. The City Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council for their final decision on annexation of this land to the City.
On June 9, 2025, the Sierra Club, ECOS, and Friends of the Swainsons’ Hawk filed a lawsuit challenging the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) actions to approve the Airport South Industrial Project (ASIP).
We did not want to file this lawsuit before the project came before the City, but the law only provides for a 30 day window to challenge the LAFCo decision made on May 7, 2025. We would have preferred to have waited for the City Council vote, but this was not possible.
LAFCo erred in its decision to approve the landowners’ request to expand the City Sphere of Influence to enable 6 million sq. ft. of industrial use of existing farmland. They did so without due consideration of the City’s commitment to the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (NBHCP).
Our three organizations strongly believe in the purpose of the NBHCP to balance development with habitat and farmland preservation. The NBHCP has worked well for 20 years, and we want the Natomas Basin Conservancy and the Natomas community to continue to thrive. Approval of the ASIP and other proposed developments threaten their future.
You may be wondering what we hope to accomplish with the lawsuit. We want local government to follow the rules and be fair to the public. Thirty years of agreements (USB, General Plan, NBHCP and more) are being set aside and, as some of you have personally experienced, the process has been stacked against the community and wildlife/habitat protections.
Finally, lawsuits are expensive and we need your help. Please donate to ECOS for our Natomas fund. None of us want to live with the traffic, air quality and other issues. Give generously.
A joint press release about the lawsuit from ECOS, Sierra Club and Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk is on ECOS’ can be read here.
A Business Journal article published on June 11, 2025 can be read here.
Please note the dates and, prior to the meetings, see the Natomas webpage for updates.
June 23 – 5:30 Sacramento County Supervisors Chambers at 700 H Street. Upper Westside will be heard at the County Planning Commission. The Commission will give a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. The Final Environmental Impact Report was released today. You can find it here. There is an executive summary.
June 26 – 5:30 Sacramento City Council Chambers at New City Hall 915 I St. Airport South Industrial Project is the only item on the agenda. The City Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council for their final decision on annexation
August 12 – City Council meeting on the Airport South Industrial Project to approve or deny the annexation request and the warehouse project.
TBD – County Board of Supervisors meeting on Upper Westside to approve or deny the project.
Although a Notice of Preparation has been filed for GrandPark Southwest, no public meetings are scheduled
Sign the petitions – one concerns Upper Westside and is directed to the Board of Supervisors. The other concerns Airport South Industrial and is directed to LAFCo and the City Council. Sign the petitions here.
Let your elected representatives know how you feel by sending an email, making a call, or testifying at the hearings.
Donate to the ECOS Natomas fund.
Learn more on ECOS’s Natomas website.
Regards,
Heather Fargo
President of the ECOS Board of Directors, ECOS
June 9, 2025
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:
After Q&A, we’ll have updates and announcements (open to all).
Click here to view the agenda (in PDF).
On May 23, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter containing our comments on the scope and content of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the RiverArc Project.
Below is an excerpt.
Given the critical importance of developing a sustainable water supply under increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions, we support improving regional water resource coordination through such coalitions as the Water Forum. ECOS Water Committee supports the concept of environmental benefits to the Lower American River intended through implementation of this project.
On May 21, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento Planning Commission regarding their vote on the Airport South Industrial Project, proposed in Natomas.
Below is an excerpt.
The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) opposes this annexation of farmland to build warehouses and asks you to recommend denial of the developers’ request to the City Council.
There are many arguments against this project, and few to support it. We hope you, the Planning Commission, will recognize the importance of plans that were put in place to balance development and preservation of open space. This project is clearly inconsistent with Natomas Habitat Conservation Plan, City General Plan, County General Plan, SACOG Blueprint, regional air quality and transportation plans and the Urban Services Boundary.
Mailing address: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812
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