Tag Archives: Climate Change

Caltrans faces legal battle over I-80 Freeway

By Gerardo Zavala | June 7, 2024 | Daily Democrat

The Sierra Club and the Environmental Council of Sacramento have filed a lawsuit against Caltrans alleging legally inadequate environmental analysis of the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements Project that would add two new lanes through Yolo County … A press release from the two environmental agencies filing the lawsuit claimed that the environmental impact report “grossly underestimates increased vehicular travel, which would emit far larger quantities of greenhouse gasses and air pollutants than claimed.”

Click here to read the article in full: https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2024/06/07/caltrans-faces-legal-battle-over-i-80-freeway-improvement-project-in-yolo-county/

ECOS letter to SACOG re 2025 BP Developing + Potentially Developing Communities

On May 29, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to SACOG regarding SACOG’s 2025 Blueprint MTP/SCS – Study of Developing Communities and Potentially Developing Communities. Below is an excerpt of our letter.

ECOS has conducted an analysis related to housing units in the Developing Communities and Potentially
Developing Communities in SACOG’s land use scenarios for the 2025 Blueprint (MTP/SCS). We would
appreciate your sharing this letter and attachments with your Committees in June.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Sierra Club and ECOS Sue Caltrans over Yolo I-80 Freeway Widening Project

On May 29, 2024, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) filed a lawsuit against Caltrans alleging legally inadequate environmental analysis of the I-80 freeway widening project through Yolo County. The lawsuit’s goal is to stop Caltrans from widening 17 miles of the I-80 freeway from six to eight lanes between Davis and Sacramento through the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area until Caltrans conducts a valid analysis of adverse environmental impacts threatened by the project and implements appropriate mitigation for these harmful effects.

Click here to view our press release.

Click here to view the petition.

Other environmental groups filed suit too.

SACOG: 2025 Blueprint Discussion Scenario

On April 18, 2024, ECOS sent the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) a letter regarding Item #15 on their board meeting agenda, the 2025 Blueprint Discussion Scenario.

Below is an excerpt from our letter.

ECOS supports SACOG’s Option 3 of its Discussion Scenario: “Prioritizing Build Out and More Complete Communities”. This option assumes more complete build-out of developing and potential developing communities but in fewer places. SACOG needs to prioritize those developing communities that have the strongest likelihood of lower vehicle- VMT based on factors like proximity to existing development and jobs/housing balance.

Click here to read the letter in full.

ECOS comments on AKT Development request for LAFCo hearings

On March 29, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to Folsom City Council regarding the request they’ve received from AKT development to initiate hearings before Sacramento LAFCO to approve sphere of influence designation for a substantial area of land south of the city’s current city limits (and extending well into El Dorado County).

Below is an excerpt from our letter.

…initiation of this process has significant implications for City residents as well as county,
regional and state policies and programs. Of particular interest is how a supply of water to accommodate the proposed development might be made available. Place of use restrictions on Folsom’s water rights will limit the availability of surface water use in the proposed development area.

…We also have concerns regarding the project’s traffic impacts and increases in emissions resulting from the project’s buildout. Under California state law the Sacramento Region must meet mandated targets for greenhouse gas reduction and air quality by 2030. The approval of a very large greenfield most certainly does not advance the long-term ability to meet these targets.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Highway Tolling in the Sacramento Region 4/4/2024

JOIN US! ECOS CLIMATE COMMITTEE
Thursday, April 4, 2024 6:00 PM start
(re-scheduled from March 21)

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

Highway Tolling in the Sacramento Region

6:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions

6:10 PM: Kathleen Hanley (Principal Transportation Planner, SACOG) will discuss the Capital Area Regional Tolling Authority (CARTA) that was recently approved by SACOG’s board. SACOG (Sacramento Area Council of Governments) decided that this JPA (Joint Powers Agreement) for managed lanes on our highways was necessary to provide better travel options. This will first be applied to Interstate 80, between Sacramento and Davis.

6:40 PM: Open discussion: We will discuss the status of Caltrans’ plans to add lanes to this freeway, and concerns expressed by CARB (California Air Resources Board), as well as environmental groups, including ECOS. Note that the California Transportation Commission (CTC) was to have decided whether the State should provide funds for this project recently, but delayed a decision to its May 16 meeting. Note that CTC and CARB boards will have a joint meeting on April 11.

7:00 PM: Updates and Announcements

  1. Status of SACOG’s Blueprint 2025
  2. Status of application for federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, submitted by SMAQMD (Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District)) on behalf of 7 area counties
  3. ECOS contract with SacRT for Educational Outreach and Communication Support Services, and community meetings at Stockton Blvd and Del Paso Blvd (jointly with SMART, Sac Metro Advocates for Rail & Transit)
  4. Status of application for Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Grant Opportunity
  5. Update on Sacramento County’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force
  6. Sacramento City meeting April 9, Truxel Bridge plans
  7. Others?
  8. Ralph’s birthday is today 😊

Click here for the agenda in PDF.