September 7, 2021
After years of work and multiple rounds of public review and comment, the final draft of the Sacramento County Climate Action Plan (CAP) has been released! This final draft will be available for public review for a period of 30 days before moving on for approval and implementation. Public comments will be accepted through Oct. 8, 2021.
https://www.saccounty.net/news/latest-news/Pages/Final-Draft-of-Climate-Action-Plan-Released.aspx
On August 23, 2021, ECOS submitted a comment letter to Sacramento City Council regarding the City of Sacramento General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and Transportation Priorities. Below are our remarks.
The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) would like to request the opportunity for a group of stakeholders to give input to the rough drafts now being developed for the 2040 General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and the Transportation Priorities Plan.
We understand that in just a month’s time the Draft General Plan will be issued — we know how difficult it can be to change drafts once published. Also, we believe the Transportation Priorities Plan will be finalized prior to the Draft General Plan.
We would like to give input to both documents in the areas of transportation, land use, climate change, and possible shifts in the City’s budget to support the priorities in the Sac2040Vision Guiding Principles, the recommendations of the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change, and the provisions of the City’s Climate Emergency Declaration.
COVID has restricted communication and we appreciate the City’s continued planning work since November 2019, including the Sac2040Vision Guiding Principles; virtual workshops; change of single-family zoning to increase housing availability; hiring of a Community Engagement Manager; and passage of the New Construction Electrification Ordinance.
Nevertheless, we ask for the chance to discuss with you and staff the contents of the General Plan and Transportation Priorities Plan, before their initial publication.
Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels
By The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board | July 18, 2021 | The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento County is still drafting its long-overdue climate action plan, which could have decades-long impacts on how we care for our environment. A favorable outcome will depend on the seriousness of county officials to act in its best interests.
California is in the midst of a rough summer. Sacramento saw surprisingly early 100-degree days in May, and climate experts say the brutal heat waves across the West Coast that have killed hundreds of people and devastated shellfish will become a recurring summer norm. We’re also facing a severe drought of historic proportions. Oh, and did we mention the wildfires that are outpacing last year’s record season?
Depending on the willingness of Sacramento County officials to commit to significant mitigation strategies, it’s no hyperbole to say the county’s climate plan will determine how long Sacramento will remain habitable in the face of impending climate catastrophe.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article252761058.html
Click here to read the article in full.
Photo by Marta Dzedyshko from Pexels
By Michael Finch II | June 10, 2021, Updated JUNE 11, 2021 | The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento County leaned on developers last year to help fund its long-delayed climate action plan, raising conflict of interest concerns among environmentalists who say the early drafts do not have enough detail to be an effective blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
…
In the eyes of some environmentalists, the financial arrangement suggests a conflict of interest. Each of the five firms wants the Board of Supervisors to expand the boundaries of where new development is allowed to include their projects. And that decision is in conflict with the aims of the climate plan.
“I know some environmentalists were concerned that the county’s staff was compromised in this way,” said Ralph Propper, president of the Environmental Council of Sacramento. “There were a lot of concerns about that but the county was pleading poverty.”
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article252009793.html
Click here to read the full article.
Photo by Pok Rie from Pexels
We had two very informative presentations at our ECOS board meeting on May 25, 2021.
Our presenters included George Courser, Chair of San Diego Sierra Club’s Conservation Committee, and Erik de Kok of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and former Climate Action Planner.
Thank you to our presenters and everyone who attended!
Below are a few slides from Erik de Kok’s presentation.
To download a recording of the meeting from Google Drive, click here.
Join the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) at the ECOS Board of Directors meeting! These meetings are a great place to network with fellow environmentalists and to keep up with the latest local environmental successes and challenges.
We have two speakers on this topic. Please come for their presentations and follow-up Q&A.
George Courser chairs the San Diego Sierra Club’s Conservation Committee. George led their successful lawsuit challenging their county’s Climate Action Plan, due to its lack of enforceable measures to adequately reduce the climate change impacts of development there.
Erik de Kok works at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, providing local planning guidance in furtherance of the State’s climate goals. A decade ago, Erik led the preparation of Sacramento’s current climate action plans.
We’ll also get our updates and announcements from our working committees, member organizations and members! Feel free to share with your networks.
Click here for the full agenda.
Link to join meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81865377865 | Call-in: 1-669-900-6833 | Meeting ID: 818 6537 7865
ECOS Board of Directors meets on the fourth Tuesday of every other month (odd-numbered months). We will be holding all board meetings via Zoom until further notice. You do not need to be a member of ECOS to attend.
Our mission is to achieve regional and community sustainability and a healthy environment for existing and future residents. By working proactively with our members, member organizations, local government, and community groups, ECOS energizes and brings positive change to the Sacramento region as we strive to develop thriving communities.
In Español: Nuestra misión es de contribuir a la conservación y manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales y del medio ambiente desde la justicia y solidaridad, participando en la ejecución y administración de proyectos estratégicos de desarrollo ambiental en el ámbito local, junto a nuestros miembros, otras organizaciones, y el gobierno local. ECOS trabaja para crear cambios positivos en la región y a su vez ayuda a nuestras comunidades a prosperar.
U.S. Post: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812