Tag Archives: Air Quality

ECOS Meeting: Sacramento Metro Air District & Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program 7/26

ECOS Climate Committee and General Meeting

Wednesday, July 26 – 6:00 pm start

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

6:00 Welcome and Introductions

6:10 Sacramento Metro Air District & Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) is leading a regional effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a grant from the US EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program (CPRG). Once developed, their regional Climate Action Plan will enable our 7-county region to receive major funding from last year’s federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The goals include reducing vehicle miles traveled as part of SACOG’s “Green Means Go”, promoting energy production and energy efficiency with SMUD, establishing mobility hubs in disadvantaged communities, improving water efficiency, managing forests, and mitigating urban heat islands.

Brianna Moland, SMAQMD’s Climate Coordinator, will discuss some of the suggested GHG reduction measures recommended by CPRG’s steering committee. With an advanced degree in Climate and Society, Brianna advocates for clean air and climate resiliency and works with local agencies to foster new climate solutions. Kacey Lizon, SACOG’s Deputy Executive Director of Planning & Programs, will provide SACOG’s perspective, and participate in the discussion.

SMAQMD will host a webinar on this topic, same day (July 26, 10 AM); details at https://airquality.org

6:40 Discussion/Q&A

7:05 Updates and Announcements

  • Sacramento County’s Climate Emergency Declaration and Climate Action Plan: 2030? 2045?
  • 2024 ballot measure to fund transit; spur infill housing
  • SACOG Blueprint
  • I-80 lanes to be added between Davis & Sacramento: draft enviro. document expected this year
  • Community Benefits Ordinance for Sacramento City
  • Proposed development projects jeopardizing the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan

We look forward to hearing your announcements and updates.

This meeting is open to everyone interested in addressing some of our region’s most pressing challenges.

SMAQMD Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program Webinar 7/26

Wednesday, July 26 at 10 am

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (Sac Metro Air District) is receiving a planning grant from the EPA to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan, a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, and a Status Report for the seven-county Sacramento region (El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba). As the lead agency for this regional climate pollution reduction grant opportunity, it is the responsibility of the Sac Metro Air District to coordinate with our jurisdictional partners to not only develop an attainable vision for a low-carbon region, but also prepare for the second phase of this program, where a total of $4.6 billion in competitive grants will be available nationwide to implement greenhouse gas reduction measures from the Priority Climate Action Plan.

Attend this webinar to learn more about the grant program and how you can participate in the planning process. Review the attached Priority Climate Action Plan Roadmap for program details, a timeline, and additional background information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program.

Link to Sac Metro Air District CPRG Roadmap (PDF)

Link to Zoom meeting

ECOS Support for City of Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan Grant Application

On February 22, 2023, ECOS submitted a letter of support for the City of Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan Grant Application to The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.

Below is an excerpt.

Sacramento is one of California’s oldest cities and our city’s transportation infrastructure is some of the oldest in the region. Sacramento is also home to over a half million people and three-quarters of the region’s disadvantaged communities. This older infrastructure is not ready for the current and worsening strain of climate change. Award of this funding would allow the City to begin the necessary work to ready our community’s transportation network for the increasing risk associated with climate change and ensure a high level of service to our most vulnerable community members.

Click here to read the letter.

Climate Committee meeting Dec. 13

December 13, 2022, 6 PM

I-80 Causeway, Adding Lanes between Davis and Sacramento

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

6 PM: Welcome and Introductions

6:10 PM: Adding Lanes to I-80 between Davis and Sacramento, including Yolo Causeway
Yolo County Transportation District’s Executive Director Autumn Bernstein will discuss plans to add “managed lanes”. In October, the District board agreed to an MOU with Caltrans to develop this project, and to apply for State funding to augment federal funds; SACOG has agreed to prioritize this project. A tolling authority is planned; the District will determine how tolling lane revenue should be spent. Can tolls be used to fund public transit, sufficient to fully mitigate additional vehicle-miles that this widening would induce?

6:45 PM: Measure A Failed — Can We Design a Better Measure A for 2024?
Roger Dickinson (former State Assemblymember and County Supervisor) will present ideas.

7:00 PM: Sacramento County Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force – met December 8.
Task Force Chair Timothy Irvine will update us.

7:15 PM, Updates:

1. City of Sacramento Preliminary Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Comments on Preliminary Adaptation Plan were presented December 5.

2. Tsakopoulos’ Jackson Township project (1400 acres) EIR to County Supervisors December 13

All are welcome to present updates on additional items.

Click here to view the agenda in PDF.

ECOS Comments on Sacramento City Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP)

On November 15, 2022, ECOS submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento regarding their currently proposed Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP).

ECOS supports the currently proposed Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) and the level of public engagement it represents. We ask the City Council to approve the TPP as the first step and move quickly to the following: The High Priority projects should be packaged separately. A supporting narrative should be written to put these projects in the larger planning context of the City and region, to describe how they further the goals of the Sacramento BLUEPRINT, the required reduction of greenhouse gas emissions following SB375, and CARB’s emissions reduction target for the SACOG region; and how they improve mobility, safety, and quality of life for Sacramento citizens.

The package, the narrative, and validated cost estimate (we understand it is about $250M) should be taken to Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, to ask for advice in accessing federal funding such as Inflation Reduction Act funds to proceed with the work. Let us know if we can help in this.

Thank you for considering our support of the TPP and our suggestion for follow-on steps.