ECOS Climate Committee Meeting feat. SACOG, 11/18/2024

SB 375 has been the “North Star” of regional climate action in California since Darrell Steinberg got it enacted sixteen years ago.
With half of State GHG emissions coming from vehicles, it requires State transportation funds to only go planning agencies (SACOG here) that show how they can fund transportation systems in a way that can achieve State-mandated GHG reductions.
This has been challenging, as we see Caltrans continue to expand freeways, and as Sacramento County supervisors continue to approve sprawl development.
After 16 years, a lot has changed — SACOG wants SB 375 to be paused until it can be revised.
On Monday, let’s hear why – from SACOG’s leader. And also – from an academic leader – should it be revised, and if so, how?

AGENDA

6 PM: Welcome and Introductions

6:10 PM: Why does SACOG want the State to pause its SB 375 target setting process?
CA Senate Bill 375 (Steinberg, 2008) provides the framework for reducing GHG emissions, requiring the Air Resources Board to set regional targets: for SACOG, 19% per capita vehicle GHG emission reduction, from 2018 to 2035. CARB is now working on establishing future targets for CA regions. In his last “State of the City” address, Sacramento Mayor Steinberg cited SB 375 as a notable legislative achievement.

  • James Corless, Executive Director, Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) will explain why he (and other regional planning agencies) asked CARB to pause its SB 375 target. Link to letter: https://calcog.org/why-are-mpos-seeking-a-pause-on-sb-375-target-setting
  • Amy Lee, postdoctoral scholar at UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, will provide a perspective. Amy studied with UC Davis Prof. Susan Handy in Transportation Policy, including study of regional transportation planning and induced travel. Amy previously worked at SACOG.

7:20 PM: Q&A, Discussion

7:50 PM: Updates
• Lawsuits over Caltrans’ plan to add lanes to I-80 in Yolo County
• Sacramento County Climate Action Plan, & County’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force
• ECOS’ work with SacRT to highlight benefits of public transit
• Election Recap – Sacramento Region

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

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/

Here’s what Solano County’s California Forever project could mean for Sacramento

By Robin Douglas | June 2, 2024 | Sacramento Business Journal

Immediate Past President of the ECOS Board of Directors, Ralph Propper, was quoted in a Sacramento Business Journal article about the proposed California Forever project.

“I think this project will make things worse in all regards,” Propper said, listing air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and habitat preservation as likely to be harmed by the development.
He also noted that California Forever’s footprint is only a bit farther from the city of Sacramento than the city of Lincoln in Placer County. “The Sacramento area has some of the worst air quality in the country, and look at the way the wind blows,” he said.

Click here to read the full article.

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.

Sacramento County Climate Emergency Resolution, BOS Item on 7/11

On July 11, 2023, the Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review staff presented a recommendation to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to amend the Climate Emergency Resolution to be consistent with the State’s 2045 carbon neutrality goal.

You can watch a recording of the July 11, 2023 Sac County Board of Supervisors meeting here: https://agendanet.saccounty.gov/BoardOfSupervisors/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=7961&doctype=1. The Climate Emergency Resolution Update presentation (Item 72) starts at 6 hours into the video.

Watch Live Online

The meeting is videotaped and cablecast live on Metrocable 14 on the Comcast, Consolidated Communications and AT&T U-Verse Systems. It is closed captioned and webcast live at http://metro14live.saccounty.gov. There will be a rebroadcast of this meeting on Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Give Comments

In-Person public comment

Speakers will be required to complete and submit a speaker request form to Clerk staff.  Each individual will be invited to the podium to make a comment.

Telephonic public comment

Dial (916) 875-2500 on the day of the meeting to make a comment. Follow the prompts for instructions and refer to the agenda and/or listen to the live meeting to determine when is the best time to call to be placed in queue for a specific agenda/off agenda item. Each caller will be transferred from the queue into the meeting to make a comment accordingly. Please be prepared for an extended waiting period.

Written public comment

Members of the public may send a written comment which is distributed to Board members and filed in the record. Contact information is optional and should include the meeting date and agenda/off agenda item number to be sent as follows:

Sacramento County Climate Emergency Resolution

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors declared a climate emergency in December 2020 and adopted a climate emergency resolution that identified the County’s existing and future actions to reduce communitywide greenhouse gas emissions. The resolution specified several commitments and goals, including an ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

Sacramento County’s Sustainability Manager has been implementing the actions specified in the Climate Emergency Resolution over the last two years through coordination and collaboration with the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force, other jurisdictions in the Sacramento metropolitan area, and local organizations and interest groups. Planning and Environmental Review staff have continued refining the County’s Communitywide Climate Action Plan as a result of feedback received on multiple public draft versions.

The California Air Resources Board adopted the 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan in late 2022, and Assembly Bill 1279 became law in September 2022. Both the Scoping Plan and AB 1279 establish a statewide goal of achieving carbon neutrality as soon as possible but no later than 2045.

On July 11, 2023, Planning and Environmental Review staff will present a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to amend the Climate Emergency Resolution to be consistent with the State’s 2045 carbon neutrality goal. This recommendation does not change the actions of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force or their timeline and commitment to working with the Sustainability Manager to prepare a Climate Emergency Response Plan. All County staff will continue to be ambitious and aggressive in reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the Climate Emergency Resolution and Planning and Environmental Review staff will continue their diligent work to finalize the Communitywide Climate Action Plan.

More details on the status and next steps on the Communitywide Climate Action Plan will be available in mid-July.

ECOS Climate Committee Meeting

August 11, 2022, 6 PM

Sacramento’s Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) Phase 2

What are the City of Sacramento’s priorities to control the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions?

Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Transportation Planning Manager, City of Sacramento, will review TPP Phase 1 (which compiled a list of Transportation Values based on community input), and present Phase 2 — which applied these values to over 700 city planned projects. The final prioritization will guide City investments in transportation.

The City’s Transportation Planning team develops mobility and corridor/area plans and manages micro-mobility and transportation demand. www.SacTransportation.org

Plus Updates:

Sacramento County Climate Action Plan
Todd Smith, County Planning Director, will update us on the final draft to be released soon.

Sacramento County Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force
On August 8, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to appoint 13 members to the task force.
John Lundgren, County Sustainability Manager

City of Sacramento Preliminary Climate Action Plan
Comments were due July 31, with a full draft plan (and General Plan) expected this Fall.
Jennifer Venema, City Climate Action Lead