Airport South Industrial Project: The position of ECOS, July 31, 2024

On July 31, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to Sacramento-area Elected Officials, Executive and Planning Staff regarding our position on the proposed Airport South Industrial Project for the parcel south of I-5 in Natomas Basin.

Below is an excerpt.

This project would require annexation of farmland into the City and construction of all infrastructure. It will cause great harm to the integrity of the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan, existing preserves, wildlife, and to the Natomas community and school children. It should not be approved.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Review by experts of the Airport South Industrial Project

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 Climate Mtg re Sac County CAP, Aug 14, 2024

Please note this is a change from the regularly scheduled Climate Committee meeting on Thursday Aug 15.

Wednesday, Aug 14, 2024, 6pm

Featuring Todd Smith, Planning Director, Sacramento County

2024 Draft Climate Action Plan and related Draft Subsequent EIR

Sacramento County has revised its 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) to address public comments, and for consistency with new statewide actions. It also includes a new greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory.

Todd Smith, Sacramento County’s Planning Director, will explain how this CAP identifies ways to meet the State’s 2030 and 2045 GHG emissions reduction targets.

Background: ECOS (along with Sierra Club and 350 Sacramento) had expressed concerns about the 2022 CAP, including lack of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The County has now prepared a Subsequent EIR to analyze the potential impacts of the 2024 CAP. The County will accept public comments on the 2024 CAP and the SEIR until August 29.

Public comments on these documents are due Aug 29, 2024.

Links to documents:
2024 Climate Action Plan
Climate Action Plan Draft SEIR
https://planning.saccounty.gov

To join the meeting on Aug 14, 2024

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

ECOS and FOSH Letter to County Board Supervisors Item 11 Watt-EV FSEIR, May 17, 2024

On May 17, 2024, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) and Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk (FOSH) sent a letter to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on Item 11, Consent Calendar, Board Meeting May 21, 2024 on the Watt-EV SWIFT Project FSEIR.

We asked that this item be shifted from the Consent Calendar into the main body of the meeting and that the Board add a requirement for the project applicant to obtain an incidental take permit from the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Click here to read the letter.

Sacramento County Climate Emergency Resolution Update – Outcome

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 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.

Read a summary of the outcome by Capital Public Radio here: Sacramento County doesn’t postpone 2030 climate goal — for now.

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.