ECOS to Participate in CA Water Fix Hearing

On January 5th, 2016, ECOS was one of many parties to file a notice of intent to participate in the California Water Fix Hearing, initiated by the State Water Resources Control Board in response to the application by California Department of Water Resources. ECOS will be participating only in phase II of the hearings which are as yet not scheduled since the FEIR needs to be released first.

Other groups and individuals who filed notices with intent to make statements on the change in water diversion on January 5th, 2016 included: African American Chamber of Commerce San Joaquin County, Asian Pacific Self Development and Residential Association, Braceros Del Delta, Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (ret), Café Coop, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Striped Bass Association, California Student Sustainability Coalition, California Water Impact Network, Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce, Delta Chamber of Commerce, Delta Fly Fishers, Earth Law Center, Assemblymember Susan Eggman, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Environmental Water Caucus, Friends of the River, Senator Cathleen Galgiani, Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, LAND, Lao Family Community Empowerment, Lower Sherman Island Duck Hunters Association, North Delta Cares, Planning and Conservation League, Supervisor Larry Ruhstaller (ret), San Joaquin County, Semillas, Sherman Island Duck Hunters, Sierra Club California, Social Media Moms, Stockton Downtown Comeback Club & Visit Stockton! And of course, Restore the Delta!

Larry Greene to Speak to ECOS About the Paris Talks (COP21)

Thursday, January 7th, 2016 at 6:00pm
Location: Breathe CA, 909 12th Street, Sacramento, CA.

Larry Greene, Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) will be speaking about his time at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). Join ECOS’ Transportation, Air Quality and Climate Change (TAQCC) committee to hear about his experience.

ECOS and Habitat 2020 Letter on Expanding the Urban Services Boundary in Natomas, Dec 16, 2015

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors announced today that they have moved their workshop on the plan to expand the Urban Services Boundary north of Natomas from tomorrow, December 16th, 2015 to March 8, 2016. ECOS’ comments on how expanding the boundary would allow for a whole new area of urban sprawl when we should instead be focusing on infill development and reaping the co-benefits were submitted on December 15th, 2015.

We hope that your Board understands the significance of your actions regarding expanding the USB north to the Sutter County line. We understand that this is only a step in a long process of considering entitlement approval. But you have authorized entering into contracts for over $7 million worth of studies and work to figure out the details of creating a new town of 55,000 people, and you have authorized preparation of a $1 million Environmental Impact Report to consider the impacts. You are proceeding as if this is a done deal only requiring the planning details to be worked out. And you are doing so without having fully and publicly addressed the significant issues associated with the threshold decision of whether this development should proceed at all, in this time frame, or under the auspices of the County rather than the City. Please consider our request to put the project on hold while you undertake a serious and unbiased review and hold a public discussion on the important concerns we are raising.

See our comments by clicking on the letter above or here.

Holiday Party Fun!

Thanks to all who came out to the annual Environmentalists Holiday Party co-hosted by the Environmental Council of Sacramento and the Sierra Club Sacramento Group on Friday, December 5th, 2015! We had a wonderful time with everyone and enjoyed the live performance by Jenn Rogar and her band! We shared unique holiday dishes and heard a few words from Sacramento City Councilmembers Jeff Harris and Eric Guerra.

Happy Holidays… and to another year of important work!

Photo by Barbara Leary

Jenn Rogar & band! Photo by Barbara Leary

Upcoming Events, from our TAQCC cmte

The Transportation, Air Quality and Climate Change (TAQCC) Committee of ECOS would like to share with you all the following events.

Dec. 1-3 — Community Open Houses re Green Line to the Airport

Dec. 1, 6:00 pm — Transit Riders Union initial meeting, at Breathe CA, 909 12th St.

Dec. 3, 6:00 pm — ECOS TAQCC meeting re ARB plan to reduce GHG, 2012 K St., Sacramento
Click here for more information.

Dec. 10 — Deadline for comments on Sacramento downtown Grid 2.0

ECOS’ Comments on Another Attempt to Increase Elk Grove’s Sphere of Influence

11/23/2015

ECOS and Habitat 2020 are far from convinced that the use of this site for a multi-sport complex is warranted based upon the significant impacts that will result from its development. We would caution LAFCo that many of the significant impacts could be completely avoided with a more northerly or central location being chosen as an alternative site.