2024 Sacramento County Climate Action Plan and SEIR

On July 15, 2024, Sacramento County published the 2024 CAP and the Draft Subsequent EIR. The new documents are available on the CAP webpage: https://planning.saccounty.gov/PlansandProjectsIn-Progress/Pages/CAP.aspx

In support of the 2024 CAP, Sacramento County has prepared a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) to analyze the potential impacts of the 2024 CAP. The Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft SEIR is available below. Public comments on the 2024 CAP and the Draft SEIR will be accepted until August 29, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

The County’s goal is to complete the CAP and its associated SEIR as quickly as possible while ensuring compliance with applicable CEQA statutory timelines for public input and review.

During the 45-day public review period, staff will present the 2024 CAP to the Sacramento County Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force on August 8, 2024 and the Sacramento Environmental Commission on August 19, 2024.

Airport South Industrial Project: Review by experts, July 17, 2024

Sierra Club, Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk and ECOS submitted expert opinions to the City of Sacramento and LAFCo on the draft Environmental Impact Report for the Airport South Industrial Project. The legal opinions are those of Patrick Soluri, Soluri Meserve, a Law Corporation, expert comments on transportation issues prepared by Daniel Smith (Exhibit 1) and expert comments on biological resource issues prepared by Shawn Smallwood, PhD (Exhibit 2).

Click here to view the letter in full.

ECOS Talk with Orville Thomas, CEO of California Mobility Center 8/7/2024

ECOS Mtg/Board

Join local environmentalists Wednesday, August 7, 2024 as we talk with Orville Thomas, the new CEO of the California Mobility Center. Thomas joins ECOS to talk about building a Clean Energy, Power, and Zero-Emission Innovation Hub in Sacramento and how that will reshape California’s push towards its climate goals. The Mobility Center concept would construct an almost 200,000 square foot research, development, innovation, and workforce development space in partnership with Sacramento State, SMUD, UC Davis, and the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.

Orville’s talk will be 6:05 to 7:00 pm including Q&A. ECOS Board meeting to begin at 7 pm, following the presentation.

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

SB 867, Allen. Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024

July 10, 2024

This bill would, if approved by the voters in November, authorize the issuance of $10 billion in State General Obligation bonds to finance projects for to improve the climate resiliency of California.

It would provide funding for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. Bonds will also be provided for projects that promote sustainable agriculture, protect biodiversity, and increase outdoor access. This bill reflects the need for comprehensive funding that reflects the many ways climate change is affecting our lives. By investing in our collective future now, we will protect public health and promote environmental stewardship for future generations.

In the Sacramento region, SB 867 will provide specific funding for urgently needed measures — $150M to improve levees and flood protection in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; $50M dollars for the Wildlife Conservation Board to support salmon reintroduction to the Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds; $21M for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy. These measures will help protect one of the most impacted ecosystems in our state, in addition to benefits Sacramento may receive from bonds that are allocated more broadly.

Click here to read the ECOS letter thanking Assemblymember Kevin McCarty.

Click here to read the ECOS letter thanking Assemblymember Angelique Ashby.

APA Speaker Series (2024)

Presented by Sacramento Valley Section APA (American Planning Association) and Caltrans

DO THE RIGHT THING

As planning, design, and community development professionals, most of us chose our professions because we want to “Do the Right Thing.” But when you’re working to solve complicated, multi-faceted challenges like climate change, the housing crisis, and structural inequities, with many stakeholders and limited resources and power, determining what that right thing is can be hard to define. And once defined, it can be even harder to implement. By bringing together diverse perspectives from various disciplines, industries, and backgrounds, this Speaker Series will explore this notion of what it means to “do the right thing,” how there isn’t one right answer, and how we can use these ideas to connect to a sense of purpose, challenge the norm, and collectively work towards a common goal.

All sessions will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Please check in prior to 9:30 a.m.
Join us for networking after each session from 11:30 to Noon
West Sacramento Community Center, 1075 West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento
Free parking at 1271 West Capitol Avenue (behind Walgreens)
A Live Streaming option is available for all sessions at the same price as attending in person.

Click here to view the speaker series flyer.

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

Status of SACOG’s Blueprint 2025
Status of application for federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, submitted by SMAQMD (Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District)) on behalf of 7 area counties
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)
Status of application for Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Grant Opportunity
Update on Sacramento County’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force
Sacramento City meeting April 9, Truxel Bridge plans
Others?
Ralph’s birthday is today 😊

Click here for the agenda in PDF.