Local Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles – Join Us Oct 7

ECOS TAQCC Committee, Thursday Oct. 7th

Please join ECOS’ Transportation, Air Quality & Climate Change (TAQCC) Committee for its regular monthly meeting, on Thursday, October 7th. Details about joining this meeting using “Zoom” are provided below.

A four-agency partnership in the Sacramento Area is moving forward on a transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the region, based on the need to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases, abate exposure to toxics, adapt to a warming planet, and promote efficient mobility. The four agencies have been working together to create a regional ZEV Deployment Strategy to help address these environmental concerns especially in under-resourced communities. Raef Porter (Program Manager, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District) will describe this nearly $1 billion initiative, and Jofil Borja from Sacramento Regional Transit will provide details about SacRT’s program to convert its bus fleet to ZEVs — a major component of the ZEV deployment strategy. The other two members of the partnership are SACOG and SMUD.

The balance of the meeting will be devoted to updates on other active issues, such as deployment of neighborhood air quality monitors, Sacramento County Climate Action Plan, Climate Emergency Declarations, the proposed expansion of the CapCity bridge over the American River, and other topics raised by attendees.

When: Thursday, October 7th, 2021 at 6 pm
Where: Videoconference, hosted by Zoom
Link to join TAQCC Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85805612058
To phone in: 1-669 900 6833, Meeting ID: 858 0561 2058

Green Means Go, and SB 743 – Join us Sept 29

Join ECOS to hear representatives from Caltrans and the Sacramento Council of Governments (SACOG) discuss recent State actions that provide good news for ECOS goals to reduce sprawl and encourage infill development. This saves habitat, reduces air pollution & climate change impacts, and encourages affordable housing.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 6:00 pm

Zoom Meeting ID 818 6537 7865 | Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81865377865 | Call-in: 1-669-900-6833

Click here for the agenda.


Green Means Go

The State has approved major funding to SACOG to incentivize infill development, in order to enable our region to meet the State’s mandate for 19% per-capita greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by 2035. Kacey Lizon, SACOG’s Deputy Executive Director, will present the latest information on how this funding will be used. (SACOG: Sacramento Area Council of Governments)


Senate Bill (SB) 743

This law prioritizes development and transportation projects that get us out of cars and into sustainable modes of transportation, to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), air pollution, and GHG emissions. Adding to roadways “induces demand” that can re-congest roads. Caltrans’ Eric Sundquist will inform us about their recently adopted guidance to this law. Caltrans Deputies Jeanie Ward-Waller and Chris Ganson (lead for review of land use projects) will contribute to the discussion.


Note: Our next board meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021.


Photo by JESHOOTS.com, found on pexels.com

U.C. Davis study finds dams ineffective for conservation…

By Dan Bacher | September 9, 2021 | Sacramento News and Review

For many years, federal, state and corporate proponents of building more dams in California have touted cold water river releases provided by increased water storage behind dams as a key tool in “saving” struggling salmon and steelhead populations.

Yet a just published study by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, Dams Ineffective for Cold-Water Conservation– 8/25/21, has found that dams are ineffective for the cold water conservation that is needed to preserve imperiled salmon, steelhead and trout.

”Dams poorly mimic the temperature patterns California streams require to support the state’s native salmon and trout — more than three-quarters of which risk extinction,” according to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE by the University of California, Davis. “Bold actions are needed to reverse extinction trends and protect cold-water streams that are resilient to climate warming.”

The study helps identify where high-quality, cold-water habitat remains to help managers prioritize conservation efforts.

https://sacramento.newsreview.com/2021/09/09/u-c-davis-study-finds-dams-ineffective-for-conservation-of-salmon-and-trout-in-sacramento-area-waterways/

Click here to read this article in full.

Local Groundwater Sustainability

On September 8, 2021, ECOS and Habitat 2020 submitted a letter regarding the Groundwater Sustainability Plan of the South American Sub-basin (SASb), just south of the American River.

Background

Climate change in the Sacramento region requires innovation to deal with more extremes in precipitation. In wetter years, we should pump water into groundwater basins so that we can pump it out during drier years. Just south of the American River is the South American Sub-basin (SASb) that we agree should be used this way. The SASb Groundwater Sustainability Plan includes a Sustainable Yield value – the amount of groundwater that can be extracted annually from the SASb while maintaining it at a sustainable level. This letter provides comments on how the draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan develops the Sustainable Yield level and proposes management actions that should be taken to ensure the SASb’s Sustainable Yield is maintained in the future. 

Click here to read our letter in full.


Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger from Pexels

Discussion re Fully Sustainable Communities in Sacramento Area – Sept 13

On Monday, September 13, 2021, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm, join the ECOS Land Use committee for

A Discussion About Plans for Fully Sustainable Communities in the Sacramento Area

with:

Kathleen Ave, Senior Climate Program Manager; Chair, Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative

and

Greg Taylor, City of Sacramento Architect, Sacramento Valley Station Project Manager


(a) Join Zoom Meeting by computer or smartphone:
Click on, or copy and paste into browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/543524123
Meeting ID: 543 524 123

(b) Join Zoom Meeting by telephone:
Dial: 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 543 524 123


ECOS Land Use Committee Meeting Agenda
Monday, September 13, 2021
6:00 – 7:30 pm

6:00 p.m. – Welcome, Introductions, Updates
6:10 p.m. – ECOS happenings (Alexandra Reagan)
6:15 p.m. – Discussion About Plans for Fully Sustainable Communities in Sacramento Area
Kathleen Ave, Senior Climate Program Manager; Chair, Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative
Greg Taylor, City of Sacramento Architect, Sacramento Valley Station Project Manager
7:15 p.m. – Project database Review (Co-Chair Robert Meagher)
7:30 p.m. – Adjourn


Photo by KoolShooters from Pexels