Draft Grant Guidelines for Proposition 84 Programs
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) released the DRAFT GRANT GUIDELINES for the Proposition 84 Land Use Planning Incentives and Urban Greening grant programs. Download the draft guidelines, see information on the public comment period, workshops, and more at www.sgc.ca.gov/funding.html
Draft Work Plan and Calendar
The SGC has also released a DRAFT WORK PLAN and CALENDAR, which can be downloaded at www.sgc.ca.gov/workplan.html
Council Meeting Schedule
The SGC also has a REVISED MEETING SCHEDULE:
• December 9th, 2009 Cancelled
• January 20th, 2010 Cancelled
• February 9th, 2010 Anticipated adoption of grant guidelines
• September 1st, 2010 Anticipated grant awards approvals
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Sustainable California Legislative Update - End of Session 2009
The following is the status of legislation related to Sustainable California’s interests at the end of the 2009 legislative session.
Legislation Signed by the Governor
SB 392 (Liu) California Transportation Plan
SB 392 requires an update of the State Transportation Plan. Requires the plan to address how the state will achieve maximum feasible emissions reductions to order to attain a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emission to certain levels by 2020 and 2050 and to identify the statewide integrated multimodal transportation system needed to achieve these results. Requires the Transportation Commission to submit a report providing information on sustainable communities and alternative planning strategies.
SB 790 (Pavley) Stormwater Resource Planning
AB 790 amends the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act. Authorizes grants for projects designed to implement or promote low impact development for new or existing developments that will contribute to the improvement of water quality or reduce stormwater runoff and for projects designed to implement specified stormwater resource plans. Authorizes a city, county, or special district to develop, jointly or individually, stormwater resource plans that meet certain standards.
SB 575 (Steinberg) Sustainable Communities Strategies, Housing Elements, Strategic Growth Council
SB 575 requires metropolitan planning organizations to have meetings to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy. Requires certain local governments to adopt the 5th revision of the housing element after a specified date. Specifies the schedule for all local governments to review and adopt revisions of the housing element. Requires the Department of Transportation to publish a schedule of transportation plan adoption dates. Provides for open meetings
Pending Legislation
AB 1405 (de Leon) Community Benefits Fund
This bill would establish the Community Benefits Fund where an unspecified percentage of the funds collected pursuant to AB 32 would be deposited. Funds in the Community Benefits Fund would be used for competitive grants for projects in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities that reduce GHG emissions or help adapt to climate change.
AB 49 (Huffman, Feuer) Water Conservation
This bill promotes increased water use efficiency by requiring a reduction in per capita urban water use and requiring implementation of efficient water management practices by agricultural water suppliers. The Bill would require a 20% reduction in statewide urban per capita water use by 2020.
AB 231 (Huffman) Climate Protection Trust Fund
This bill would create a state treasury account for AB 32 generated revenues and establishes parameters for the investment of these funds for the purposes of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and generally assisting the state in meeting AB 32 Scoping Plan goals.
Vetoed Legislation
SB 391 (Liu) California Transportation Plan
SB 391 would have required an update of the State Transportation Plan. The plan would have to address how the state will achieve maximum feasible emissions reductions to order to attain a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emission to certain levels by 2020 and 2050 and to identify the statewide integrated multimodal transportation system needed to achieve these results. The plan would require the Transportation Commission to submit a report providing information on sustainable communities and alternative planning strategies.
SB 406(DeSaulnier) Funding Sustainable Communities Strategies and Blueprints
SB 406 would have authorized municipal planning organizations, councils of governments, or county transportation commissions and subregional councils to impose surcharges on motor vehicle registration to be expended to develop and implement sustainable communities strategies, per SB 375, and regional blueprint plans.
AB 338 (Ma) Transit Village Developments: Infrastructure Financing
AB 338 would relate to transit village plans for transit village development districts. It would have recast the area that shall be included in a transit village plan. It would have provided that the need for voter approval of the formation of an infrastructure financing district, adoption of a financing plan, and an issuance of bonds for implementing a transit facility would be eliminated. It would have established public and affordable housing requirements, including that a percentage of property tax increment revenues be dedicated to affordable housing.
Legislation Signed by the Governor
SB 392 (Liu) California Transportation Plan
SB 392 requires an update of the State Transportation Plan. Requires the plan to address how the state will achieve maximum feasible emissions reductions to order to attain a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emission to certain levels by 2020 and 2050 and to identify the statewide integrated multimodal transportation system needed to achieve these results. Requires the Transportation Commission to submit a report providing information on sustainable communities and alternative planning strategies.
SB 790 (Pavley) Stormwater Resource Planning
AB 790 amends the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act. Authorizes grants for projects designed to implement or promote low impact development for new or existing developments that will contribute to the improvement of water quality or reduce stormwater runoff and for projects designed to implement specified stormwater resource plans. Authorizes a city, county, or special district to develop, jointly or individually, stormwater resource plans that meet certain standards.
SB 575 (Steinberg) Sustainable Communities Strategies, Housing Elements, Strategic Growth Council
SB 575 requires metropolitan planning organizations to have meetings to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy. Requires certain local governments to adopt the 5th revision of the housing element after a specified date. Specifies the schedule for all local governments to review and adopt revisions of the housing element. Requires the Department of Transportation to publish a schedule of transportation plan adoption dates. Provides for open meetings
Pending Legislation
AB 1405 (de Leon) Community Benefits Fund
This bill would establish the Community Benefits Fund where an unspecified percentage of the funds collected pursuant to AB 32 would be deposited. Funds in the Community Benefits Fund would be used for competitive grants for projects in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities that reduce GHG emissions or help adapt to climate change.
AB 49 (Huffman, Feuer) Water Conservation
This bill promotes increased water use efficiency by requiring a reduction in per capita urban water use and requiring implementation of efficient water management practices by agricultural water suppliers. The Bill would require a 20% reduction in statewide urban per capita water use by 2020.
AB 231 (Huffman) Climate Protection Trust Fund
This bill would create a state treasury account for AB 32 generated revenues and establishes parameters for the investment of these funds for the purposes of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and generally assisting the state in meeting AB 32 Scoping Plan goals.
Vetoed Legislation
SB 391 (Liu) California Transportation Plan
SB 391 would have required an update of the State Transportation Plan. The plan would have to address how the state will achieve maximum feasible emissions reductions to order to attain a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emission to certain levels by 2020 and 2050 and to identify the statewide integrated multimodal transportation system needed to achieve these results. The plan would require the Transportation Commission to submit a report providing information on sustainable communities and alternative planning strategies.
SB 406(DeSaulnier) Funding Sustainable Communities Strategies and Blueprints
SB 406 would have authorized municipal planning organizations, councils of governments, or county transportation commissions and subregional councils to impose surcharges on motor vehicle registration to be expended to develop and implement sustainable communities strategies, per SB 375, and regional blueprint plans.
AB 338 (Ma) Transit Village Developments: Infrastructure Financing
AB 338 would relate to transit village plans for transit village development districts. It would have recast the area that shall be included in a transit village plan. It would have provided that the need for voter approval of the formation of an infrastructure financing district, adoption of a financing plan, and an issuance of bonds for implementing a transit facility would be eliminated. It would have established public and affordable housing requirements, including that a percentage of property tax increment revenues be dedicated to affordable housing.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Press Clips: Sustainable Cities, Public Health, and Climate Change
15 Most Sustainable Cities in the U.S.
Grist.org
July 16, 2009
“Seattle is the most sustainable big city in the nation, according to a list compiled by Smarter Cities, an NRDC project that looks at the progress American cities are making toward going green. Not surprisingly, San Francisco and Portland are the runners-up.”
Using data from the EPA and the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as some voluntary survey responses from city governments, the project identified the top 15 large, medium, and small cities according to 10 different environmental criteria, from air quality to recycling to transportation.
Here’s a look the top 15 large cities (population of 250,000 or more):
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-07-16-sustainable-green-us-cities/
Where's the path to fitness? And can the government help us find it?
USA TODAY
July 23, 2009
You drive to the office, sit at a computer all day, drive home and then park yourself on the couch.
If that's your life, leading obesity experts say, the government should be changing your environment and making it possible for you to become more active.
There has been a big reduction in "muscle-power transportation," such as walking or biking to work or to the store, says Russell Pate, an exercise researcher at the University of South Carolina-Columbia. This is partly because of sprawling communities and long commutes, but he says it's also because people don't have safe places to walk.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20090723/fedsfightfat23_st.art.htm
Building ‘Climate Positive’ Communities
Green, Inc.: Energy, the Environment, and the Bottom Line
May 26, 2009
Bloomberg News Former President Bill Clinton’s Climate Initiative is teaming up with the U.S. Green Building Council to help support the creation of more than a dozen energy-efficient communities on six continents.
It’s one thing to put up a LEED-certified building, but quite another to develop an entire urban community with enough energy-efficient bells and whistles that its on-site emissions are actually less than zero.
That’s the ambitious objective of the new Climate Positive Development Program, a joint venture between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council, unveiled at the C-40 Cities Climate Leader Group summit in Seoul, South Korea.
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/building-climate-positive-communities/?scp=4&sq=climate%20change&st=cse
Grist.org
July 16, 2009
“Seattle is the most sustainable big city in the nation, according to a list compiled by Smarter Cities, an NRDC project that looks at the progress American cities are making toward going green. Not surprisingly, San Francisco and Portland are the runners-up.”
Using data from the EPA and the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as some voluntary survey responses from city governments, the project identified the top 15 large, medium, and small cities according to 10 different environmental criteria, from air quality to recycling to transportation.
Here’s a look the top 15 large cities (population of 250,000 or more):
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-07-16-sustainable-green-us-cities/
Where's the path to fitness? And can the government help us find it?
USA TODAY
July 23, 2009
You drive to the office, sit at a computer all day, drive home and then park yourself on the couch.
If that's your life, leading obesity experts say, the government should be changing your environment and making it possible for you to become more active.
There has been a big reduction in "muscle-power transportation," such as walking or biking to work or to the store, says Russell Pate, an exercise researcher at the University of South Carolina-Columbia. This is partly because of sprawling communities and long commutes, but he says it's also because people don't have safe places to walk.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20090723/fedsfightfat23_st.art.htm
Building ‘Climate Positive’ Communities
Green, Inc.: Energy, the Environment, and the Bottom Line
May 26, 2009
Bloomberg News Former President Bill Clinton’s Climate Initiative is teaming up with the U.S. Green Building Council to help support the creation of more than a dozen energy-efficient communities on six continents.
It’s one thing to put up a LEED-certified building, but quite another to develop an entire urban community with enough energy-efficient bells and whistles that its on-site emissions are actually less than zero.
That’s the ambitious objective of the new Climate Positive Development Program, a joint venture between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council, unveiled at the C-40 Cities Climate Leader Group summit in Seoul, South Korea.
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/building-climate-positive-communities/?scp=4&sq=climate%20change&st=cse
Monday, June 29, 2009
Report on Strategic Growth Council Meeting - June 24, 2009
Overview
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) met yesterday afternoon. Members in attendance were Environmental Protection Agency Undersecretary Cindy Tuck (sitting in for Secretary Linda Adams), Business Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale Bonner, Office of Planning and Research Director Cynthia Bryant, Natural Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman, Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe, and appointed public member Robert Fisher. Bridgett Luther, Director of Conservation, sat in for Secretary Chrisman for the later part of the meeting.
Urban Greening Presentation
The Council received a presentation from co-presenters Andy Lipkis, President of TreePeople, and Mark Pastrella, Los Angeles County Public Works. The presentation touched on the possibilities before the Council through integration and coordination of the agencies; and examples of urban greening, integrated infrastructure, and multiple-benefit projects built through partnerships. The presentation sparked discussion around leveraging funds, the cost benefit model, challenges to integration, and more.
Proposition 84 Grant Programs
The Council has the authority to administer two different funds from the Sustainable Communities section of Proposition 84, Land Use Planning Incentives ($90 million) and Urban Greening ($70 million). The Council received a presentation from staff on the projected timeline for developing and delivering these grant programs, as well as the legislative requirements and areas of flexibility in developing the grant guidelines.
There was little discussion among the Council members on the specifics of the grant guidelines; however, the Council decided to hold two public workshops before the September 30th Council meeting, and one topic for discussion would be the development of criteria for the grant guidelines.
Public Comment
At the end of the meeting, during the public comment period, there was an impressive line-up of public speakers the following non-profit organizations, local governments, and agencies:
· Natural Resources Defense Council
· The City Projects
· League of California Cities
· Greenbelt Alliance
· Planning and Conservation League
· City of Redlands
· City of Richmond
· California ReLeaf
· CalFire, Urban Forestry
· Sacramento Tree Foundation
· The Nature Conservancy
· Trust for Public Land
· California Urban Forests Council
More Information
The SGC new website has links to the materials provided at the meeting; however some have not yet been posted, so please check back: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/
SGC 2009 Meeting Schedule:
· Two ½ day workshops open to the public prior to September Council meeting – exact dates TBD
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) met yesterday afternoon. Members in attendance were Environmental Protection Agency Undersecretary Cindy Tuck (sitting in for Secretary Linda Adams), Business Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale Bonner, Office of Planning and Research Director Cynthia Bryant, Natural Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman, Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe, and appointed public member Robert Fisher. Bridgett Luther, Director of Conservation, sat in for Secretary Chrisman for the later part of the meeting.
Urban Greening Presentation
The Council received a presentation from co-presenters Andy Lipkis, President of TreePeople, and Mark Pastrella, Los Angeles County Public Works. The presentation touched on the possibilities before the Council through integration and coordination of the agencies; and examples of urban greening, integrated infrastructure, and multiple-benefit projects built through partnerships. The presentation sparked discussion around leveraging funds, the cost benefit model, challenges to integration, and more.
Proposition 84 Grant Programs
The Council has the authority to administer two different funds from the Sustainable Communities section of Proposition 84, Land Use Planning Incentives ($90 million) and Urban Greening ($70 million). The Council received a presentation from staff on the projected timeline for developing and delivering these grant programs, as well as the legislative requirements and areas of flexibility in developing the grant guidelines.
There was little discussion among the Council members on the specifics of the grant guidelines; however, the Council decided to hold two public workshops before the September 30th Council meeting, and one topic for discussion would be the development of criteria for the grant guidelines.
Public Comment
At the end of the meeting, during the public comment period, there was an impressive line-up of public speakers the following non-profit organizations, local governments, and agencies:
· Natural Resources Defense Council
· The City Projects
· League of California Cities
· Greenbelt Alliance
· Planning and Conservation League
· City of Redlands
· City of Richmond
· California ReLeaf
· CalFire, Urban Forestry
· Sacramento Tree Foundation
· The Nature Conservancy
· Trust for Public Land
· California Urban Forests Council
More Information
The SGC new website has links to the materials provided at the meeting; however some have not yet been posted, so please check back: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/
SGC 2009 Meeting Schedule:
· Two ½ day workshops open to the public prior to September Council meeting – exact dates TBD
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
Friday, June 12, 2009
Strategic Growth Council Meeting – June 24, 2009
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, June 24th from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Meeting Details and Agenda
Location: CalEPA, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, Sierra Hearing Room
Time: 1:00 to 3:30 pm
Agenda: www.sgc.ca.gov
Webcast: www.calepa.ca.gov/Broadcast
Contact: annamarie.young@opr.ca.gov
This meeting will mostly focus on the development of the Council’s two grant programs: 1) local and regional planning for sustainable communities and 2) urban greening plans, programs, and projects. Staff will give an overview of each of the grant program’s framework, identifying the requirements of the programs based on SB 732 and where the Council has flexibility, and what the Council’s opportunities are. There will then be a discussion about the Council’s desired outcome of the two grant programs in relation to broader SGC goals and objectives.
Public comment is taken prior to a vote on any agenda item as well as at the end of the meeting.
Meeting Details and Agenda
Location: CalEPA, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, Sierra Hearing Room
Time: 1:00 to 3:30 pm
Agenda: www.sgc.ca.gov
Webcast: www.calepa.ca.gov/Broadcast
Contact: annamarie.young@opr.ca.gov
This meeting will mostly focus on the development of the Council’s two grant programs: 1) local and regional planning for sustainable communities and 2) urban greening plans, programs, and projects. Staff will give an overview of each of the grant program’s framework, identifying the requirements of the programs based on SB 732 and where the Council has flexibility, and what the Council’s opportunities are. There will then be a discussion about the Council’s desired outcome of the two grant programs in relation to broader SGC goals and objectives.
Public comment is taken prior to a vote on any agenda item as well as at the end of the meeting.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Action Alert: Sign-on to Support Letters for Important Legislation
NOTE: Please send in your responses by 12 noon on Tuesday June 2nd to be included on group support letters.
Sustainable California is collecting support for the following bills that will be on the Senate or Assembly floor for a vote this week.
Please show your support for these bills. If you would like to sign on to one or more of these letters, please send an email to connie@csgcalifornia.com and include your name, organization, electronic signature, and logo. We will collect names in support of each of the bills and submit a group support letter from Sustainable California for each bill.
Assembly Bill 49 - Water Conservation (SUPPORT): AB 49 is coauthored by Assemblymembers Feuer and Huffman. The bill promotes increased water use efficiency by requiring a reduction in per capita urban water use and requiring implementation of efficient water management practices by agricultural water suppliers. The Bill would require a 20% reduction in statewide urban per capita water use by 2020.
Senate Bill 406 - Funding Sustainable Communities Strategies and Blueprints (SUPPORT): SB 406 is authored by Senator DeSaulnier. SB 406 would authorize municipal planning organizations, councils of governments, or county transportation commissions and subregional councils to impose surcharges on motor vehicle registration to be expended to develop and implement sustainable communities strategies, per SB 375, and regional blueprint plans.
Climate/Carbon Trust Bills:
Assembly Bill 231 - Climate Protection Trust Fund (SUPPORT): AB 231 is authored by Assemblymember Huffman. This bill creates a state treasury account for AB 32 generated revenues and establishes parameters for the investment of these funds for the purposes of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and generally assisting the state in meeting AB 32 Scoping Plan goals.
Assembly Bill 1405 - Community Benefits Fund (SUPPORT – IF AMENDED): AB 1405 is authored by Assemblymember de Leon. This bill would establish the Community Benefits Fund where an unspecified percentage of the funds collected pursuant to AB 32 would be deposited. Funds in the Community Benefits Fund would be used for competitive grants for projects in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities that reduce GHG emissions or help adapt to climate change.
Senate Bill 31 - California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: revenue allocations (SUPPORT – IF AMENDED): SB 31 is authored by Senator Pavley. The bill would require that revenues collected pursuant to AB 32 compliance mechanisms adopted by the state board also be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund. The bill specifies certain uses of the revenues collected pursuant to the fee.
Sustainable California is collecting support for the following bills that will be on the Senate or Assembly floor for a vote this week.
Please show your support for these bills. If you would like to sign on to one or more of these letters, please send an email to connie@csgcalifornia.com and include your name, organization, electronic signature, and logo. We will collect names in support of each of the bills and submit a group support letter from Sustainable California for each bill.
Assembly Bill 49 - Water Conservation (SUPPORT): AB 49 is coauthored by Assemblymembers Feuer and Huffman. The bill promotes increased water use efficiency by requiring a reduction in per capita urban water use and requiring implementation of efficient water management practices by agricultural water suppliers. The Bill would require a 20% reduction in statewide urban per capita water use by 2020.
Senate Bill 406 - Funding Sustainable Communities Strategies and Blueprints (SUPPORT): SB 406 is authored by Senator DeSaulnier. SB 406 would authorize municipal planning organizations, councils of governments, or county transportation commissions and subregional councils to impose surcharges on motor vehicle registration to be expended to develop and implement sustainable communities strategies, per SB 375, and regional blueprint plans.
Climate/Carbon Trust Bills:
Assembly Bill 231 - Climate Protection Trust Fund (SUPPORT): AB 231 is authored by Assemblymember Huffman. This bill creates a state treasury account for AB 32 generated revenues and establishes parameters for the investment of these funds for the purposes of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and generally assisting the state in meeting AB 32 Scoping Plan goals.
Assembly Bill 1405 - Community Benefits Fund (SUPPORT – IF AMENDED): AB 1405 is authored by Assemblymember de Leon. This bill would establish the Community Benefits Fund where an unspecified percentage of the funds collected pursuant to AB 32 would be deposited. Funds in the Community Benefits Fund would be used for competitive grants for projects in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities that reduce GHG emissions or help adapt to climate change.
Senate Bill 31 - California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: revenue allocations (SUPPORT – IF AMENDED): SB 31 is authored by Senator Pavley. The bill would require that revenues collected pursuant to AB 32 compliance mechanisms adopted by the state board also be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund. The bill specifies certain uses of the revenues collected pursuant to the fee.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Strategic Growth Council Meeting - May 26, 2009
Overview
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) met yesterday for their third meeting. Members in attendance were Environmental Protection Agency Undersecretary Cindy Tuck (sitting in for Secretary Linda Adams), Business Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale Bonner, Office of Planning and Research Director Cynthia Bryant, Natural Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe. The Council also welcomed their newest member, Public Appointee Robert Fisher. Robert Fisher is the Chairman of the Board for Gap, Inc., and is a trustee on various non-profit boards, including Conservation International, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
The Council received presentations on:
· Incorporation of SGC objectives into the California Regional Progress Report
· Incorporation of SGC objectives into the 5-Year Infrastructure Plan
· Health and human services components of sustainable communities
· Status of coordinating data and information needs statewide
SGC Staff will be following up on each of these issues, including a report back to the SGC in October on the status and priorities for developing a complete, consistent, and accessible statewide data system.
Proposition 84 Funds for the Regional Blueprint Program – Action Item
The main item of discussion on the agenda was a staff recommendation to adopt a policy statement regarding the appropriation of early Proposition 84 funds from the Land Use Planning Incentives Program. SGC staff was responding to the Legislature’s desire to facilitate an early allocation of Proposition 84 funds to address SB 375 requirements, which would occur prior to the SGC’s development of grant criteria. SGC staff recommended that the early funds be allocated to the Regional Blueprint Program to assist in addressing SB 375 implementation as well as other SGC objectives and statewide goals. They recommended that the goals of Blueprint Program be expanded to include other SGC objectives.
SGC adopted the policy statement, withholding a recommended amount of early funds that should be appropriated. The SGC also agreed to conduct early outreach to cities, counties, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to determine the needs and priorities for funding to be considered when developing the grant criteria. At the next SGC meeting, staff was directed to provide the overall objectives and a compressed timeline for developing a grant program to gather input from the council members.
More Information
The SGC new website has links to the materials provided at the meeting: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/
SGC 2009 Meeting Schedule:
· June 24, 1-3:30 pm
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) met yesterday for their third meeting. Members in attendance were Environmental Protection Agency Undersecretary Cindy Tuck (sitting in for Secretary Linda Adams), Business Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale Bonner, Office of Planning and Research Director Cynthia Bryant, Natural Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe. The Council also welcomed their newest member, Public Appointee Robert Fisher. Robert Fisher is the Chairman of the Board for Gap, Inc., and is a trustee on various non-profit boards, including Conservation International, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
The Council received presentations on:
· Incorporation of SGC objectives into the California Regional Progress Report
· Incorporation of SGC objectives into the 5-Year Infrastructure Plan
· Health and human services components of sustainable communities
· Status of coordinating data and information needs statewide
SGC Staff will be following up on each of these issues, including a report back to the SGC in October on the status and priorities for developing a complete, consistent, and accessible statewide data system.
Proposition 84 Funds for the Regional Blueprint Program – Action Item
The main item of discussion on the agenda was a staff recommendation to adopt a policy statement regarding the appropriation of early Proposition 84 funds from the Land Use Planning Incentives Program. SGC staff was responding to the Legislature’s desire to facilitate an early allocation of Proposition 84 funds to address SB 375 requirements, which would occur prior to the SGC’s development of grant criteria. SGC staff recommended that the early funds be allocated to the Regional Blueprint Program to assist in addressing SB 375 implementation as well as other SGC objectives and statewide goals. They recommended that the goals of Blueprint Program be expanded to include other SGC objectives.
SGC adopted the policy statement, withholding a recommended amount of early funds that should be appropriated. The SGC also agreed to conduct early outreach to cities, counties, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to determine the needs and priorities for funding to be considered when developing the grant criteria. At the next SGC meeting, staff was directed to provide the overall objectives and a compressed timeline for developing a grant program to gather input from the council members.
More Information
The SGC new website has links to the materials provided at the meeting: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/
SGC 2009 Meeting Schedule:
· June 24, 1-3:30 pm
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
Monday, April 6, 2009
Update: Strategic Growth Council and SB 375 Implementation
Strategic Growth Council Held Second Meeting on April 1, 2009
The Strategic Growth Council held its second meeting on April 1, 2009. The Council members in attendance were Kim Belshe, California Health and Human Services, Dale Bonner, Business Transportation and Housing (BT&H), and Cynthia Bryant, Office of Planning and Research. Cindy Tuck, Undersecretary for Cal EPA sat in for Linda Adams, and Bridget Luther, Director of the Department of Conservation sat in for Mike Chrisman of the Resources Agency.
Opening remarks were provided by Bill Craven on behalf of Senator Steinberg, who was unable to attend. He shared the Senate President Pro Tempore’s pleasure in the progress of the Council to date. He expressed his support for having the Legislature assist in getting some early funding appropriated to the Council for regions to begin the necessary modeling and planning for SB 375 implementation to be successful.
The agenda consisted of a number of reports from state agency staff on existing state programs and projects related to issues under the purview of the Council, including:
· State’s 5-year Infrastructure Plan
· Climate Action Team
· BT&H’s Regional Economic Recovery Work Plans
· Department of Conservation’s Emerald Cities Pilot Program
· Air Resources Board’s Local Government Toolkit
· Caltrans’ Blueprint Program
· Various agency programs funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The Sonoma County Water Agency presented on the challenges and opportunities of local governments in developing sustainable communities. Sonoma County shared information on a number of its programs aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and integrating land use, water, and energy; as well as its advocacy efforts at the state and national level. The County representative, Randy Poole, encouraged the Council to take on a similar leadership role for the State.
Gregg Albright, Deputy Secretary for Environmental Policy and Integration at BT&H presented a request from Caltrans for the Council to allocate $10 million of the Proposition 84 Land Use Planning Incentive funds to Caltrans for a statewide modeling framework. The Council is supportive of the need for a statewide modeling framework, but is not ready to allocate Proposition 84 money to fund the program until the Council has determined how it wishes to divide up those funds and what their priorities are for its expenditure.
Several organizations provided public comment, including:
· Conservation Strategy Group argued for early funding for SB 375 modeling and regional planning, and encouraged the Council to direct a staff workgroup to identify additional early actions to help inform the competitive grant program’s development
· California Association of Councils of Governments recommended the Council allocate $30 million to regions, among other things
· American Farmland Trust encouraged the Council to look for federal economic stimulus funds for blueprint planning and implementation.
· Greenbelt Alliance supported the Council’s actions to date of prioritizing SB 375 implementation and embracing a broader perspective on all the issues related to the development of sustainable communities. The Alliance offered to share new research from the Bay Area on accommodating growth projected by 2050 in existing developed communities as well as preserving important and valuable open space and farmland.
· CalFire shared with the Council that it currently funds about $7 million in grants for urban forestry and urban greening projects and offered to provide a presentation on these topics to the Council at a later date.
Decisions made by the Council
· Confirmed 2009 Council meeting schedule, adding one additional early meeting
· Approval a letter supporting the Caltrans Statewide Modeling Framework concept without identifying a fund source
· Approval of submittal of a U.S. EPA Smart Growth Grant application
2009 Meeting Schedule
· **New early meeting – date TBD
· June 24, 1-3:30 pm
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
Materials provided at the meeting are available at http://www.opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html
The Regional Targets Advisory Committee met on March 4, 2009
The Committee addressed three main topics during the meeting: 1) Factors Influencing the Magnitude of Change in the Land Use and Transportation sectors, 2) Data and Modeling for SB 375, and 3) RTAC Guiding Principles.
Staff presented the following timeline for the RTAC to complete its recommendations by the September deadline:
February-April Factors influencing travel, modeling, and other tools
April-May Addressing geographic boundaries, goods movement, and benefits from fuel and vehicle efficiency
June-July Framework for TRAC recommendations and Metrics
July-August Supporting MPO implementation and evaluation techniques for recommended factors and methods
September Draft and final recommendations complete
There was a presentation from staff and a lengthy discussion of the modeling needs for the regions to comply with SB 375. In short, there are many consistencies across the different modes being used by the regions and different state agencies as well as by the air districts. The models vary in what factors they consider, how sensitive they are to each factor, and how accurate they are. Regions also vary widely in the availability of resources for modeling, especially in rural areas.
There was discussion around identifying the desired outcomes first and then setting performance standards for the models such as sensitivity, consistency, accuracy, and transparency.
Materials from the meeting are available here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/sb375/rtac/meetings/meetings.htm
The next meeting is scheduled for April 7, 2009, 9 am to 1 pm at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments Hearing Room (third floor), 1415 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
The Strategic Growth Council held its second meeting on April 1, 2009. The Council members in attendance were Kim Belshe, California Health and Human Services, Dale Bonner, Business Transportation and Housing (BT&H), and Cynthia Bryant, Office of Planning and Research. Cindy Tuck, Undersecretary for Cal EPA sat in for Linda Adams, and Bridget Luther, Director of the Department of Conservation sat in for Mike Chrisman of the Resources Agency.
Opening remarks were provided by Bill Craven on behalf of Senator Steinberg, who was unable to attend. He shared the Senate President Pro Tempore’s pleasure in the progress of the Council to date. He expressed his support for having the Legislature assist in getting some early funding appropriated to the Council for regions to begin the necessary modeling and planning for SB 375 implementation to be successful.
The agenda consisted of a number of reports from state agency staff on existing state programs and projects related to issues under the purview of the Council, including:
· State’s 5-year Infrastructure Plan
· Climate Action Team
· BT&H’s Regional Economic Recovery Work Plans
· Department of Conservation’s Emerald Cities Pilot Program
· Air Resources Board’s Local Government Toolkit
· Caltrans’ Blueprint Program
· Various agency programs funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The Sonoma County Water Agency presented on the challenges and opportunities of local governments in developing sustainable communities. Sonoma County shared information on a number of its programs aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and integrating land use, water, and energy; as well as its advocacy efforts at the state and national level. The County representative, Randy Poole, encouraged the Council to take on a similar leadership role for the State.
Gregg Albright, Deputy Secretary for Environmental Policy and Integration at BT&H presented a request from Caltrans for the Council to allocate $10 million of the Proposition 84 Land Use Planning Incentive funds to Caltrans for a statewide modeling framework. The Council is supportive of the need for a statewide modeling framework, but is not ready to allocate Proposition 84 money to fund the program until the Council has determined how it wishes to divide up those funds and what their priorities are for its expenditure.
Several organizations provided public comment, including:
· Conservation Strategy Group argued for early funding for SB 375 modeling and regional planning, and encouraged the Council to direct a staff workgroup to identify additional early actions to help inform the competitive grant program’s development
· California Association of Councils of Governments recommended the Council allocate $30 million to regions, among other things
· American Farmland Trust encouraged the Council to look for federal economic stimulus funds for blueprint planning and implementation.
· Greenbelt Alliance supported the Council’s actions to date of prioritizing SB 375 implementation and embracing a broader perspective on all the issues related to the development of sustainable communities. The Alliance offered to share new research from the Bay Area on accommodating growth projected by 2050 in existing developed communities as well as preserving important and valuable open space and farmland.
· CalFire shared with the Council that it currently funds about $7 million in grants for urban forestry and urban greening projects and offered to provide a presentation on these topics to the Council at a later date.
Decisions made by the Council
· Confirmed 2009 Council meeting schedule, adding one additional early meeting
· Approval a letter supporting the Caltrans Statewide Modeling Framework concept without identifying a fund source
· Approval of submittal of a U.S. EPA Smart Growth Grant application
2009 Meeting Schedule
· **New early meeting – date TBD
· June 24, 1-3:30 pm
· September 30, 1-3:30 pm
· December 9, 1-3:30 pm
Materials provided at the meeting are available at http://www.opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html
The Regional Targets Advisory Committee met on March 4, 2009
The Committee addressed three main topics during the meeting: 1) Factors Influencing the Magnitude of Change in the Land Use and Transportation sectors, 2) Data and Modeling for SB 375, and 3) RTAC Guiding Principles.
Staff presented the following timeline for the RTAC to complete its recommendations by the September deadline:
February-April Factors influencing travel, modeling, and other tools
April-May Addressing geographic boundaries, goods movement, and benefits from fuel and vehicle efficiency
June-July Framework for TRAC recommendations and Metrics
July-August Supporting MPO implementation and evaluation techniques for recommended factors and methods
September Draft and final recommendations complete
There was a presentation from staff and a lengthy discussion of the modeling needs for the regions to comply with SB 375. In short, there are many consistencies across the different modes being used by the regions and different state agencies as well as by the air districts. The models vary in what factors they consider, how sensitive they are to each factor, and how accurate they are. Regions also vary widely in the availability of resources for modeling, especially in rural areas.
There was discussion around identifying the desired outcomes first and then setting performance standards for the models such as sensitivity, consistency, accuracy, and transparency.
Materials from the meeting are available here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/sb375/rtac/meetings/meetings.htm
The next meeting is scheduled for April 7, 2009, 9 am to 1 pm at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments Hearing Room (third floor), 1415 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
HUD and DOT Announce Interagency Partnership to Promote Sustainable Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a new partnership to help American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs.
The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its budget on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses for American families. Donovan and LaHood want to seek ways to cut these costs by focusing their efforts on creating affordable, sustainable communities.
The Secretaries discussed their plans for sustainable communities today at a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing hearing titled, "Livable Communities, Transit Oriented Development, and incorporating Green Building Practices into Federal Housing and Transportation." To read the full text of Secretary Donovan's testimony, visit HUD's website <http://www.hud.gov/offices/cir/test2009.cfm> .
"One of my highest priorities is to help promote more livable communities through sustainable surface transportation programs," said Secretary LaHood.
"This partnership will help expand every American family's choices for affordable housing and transportation," said Secretary Donovan. "HUD's central mission - ensuring that every American has access to decent, affordable housing - can be achieved only in context of the housing, transportation, and energy costs and choices that American families experience each day."
DOT and HUD have created a high-level interagency task force to better coordinate federal transportation and housing investments and identify strategies to give American families:
* More choices for affordable housing near employment opportunities;
* More transportation options, to lower transportation costs, shorten travel times, and improve the environment; and
* Safe, livable, healthy communities.
The HUD/DOT task force will:
Enhance integrated regional housing, transportation, and land use planning and investment. The task force will set a goal to have every major metropolitan area in the country conduct integrated housing, transportation, and land use planning and investment in the next four years. To facilitate integrated planning, HUD and DOT seek, through HUD's proposed Sustainable Communities Initiative which it will administer in consultation with DOT, to make planning grants available to metropolitan areas, and create mechanisms to ensure those plans are carried through to localities. DOT will encourage Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to conduct this integrated planning as a part of their next long-range transportation plan update and will provide technical assistance on scenario planning, a tool for assessing future growth alternatives that better coordinate land use, and transportation planning.
This effort will help metropolitan areas set a vision for growth and apply federal transportation, housing and other investments in an integrated approach to support that vision. HUD currently requires states, cities, and counties to prepare a five-year Consolidated Plan estimating housing status and needs. Concurrently, DOT requires States and metropolitan areas to develop Long Range Transportation Plans and four-year Transportation Improvement Programs. Coordinating these federally mandated planning efforts, including planning cycles, processes and geographic coverage, will make more effective use of Federal housing and transportation dollars.
Redefine affordability and make it transparent. The task force will develop Federal housing affordability measures that include housing, and transportation costs and other costs that affect location choices. Although transportation costs now approach or exceed housing costs for many working families, Federal definitions of housing affordability don't recognize the strain of soaring transportation costs on homeowners and renters who live in areas isolated from work opportunities and transportation choices. The task force will redefine affordability to reflect those interdependent costs. The task force will also continue to ensure that the costs of living in certain geographic areas are transparent- using an online tool that calculates the combined housing and transportation costs families face when choosing a new home.
Develop livability measures. The task force will research, evaluate and recommend measures that indicate the livability of communities, neighborhoods and metropolitan areas. These measures could be adopted in subsequent integrated planning efforts to benchmark existing conditions and identify progress toward achieving community visions. The task force will develop incentives to encourage communities to implement, use and publicize the measures.
Harmonize HUD and DOT programs. HUD and DOT will work together to identify opportunities to better coordinate their programs and encourage location efficiency in housing and transportation choices. HUD and DOT will also share information and review processes to facilitate better-informed decisions and coordinate investments.
Undertake joint research, data collection and outreach. HUD and DOT will engage in joint research, data collection, and outreach efforts with stakeholders, to develop information platforms and analytic tools to track housing and transportation options and expenditures, establish standardized and efficient performance measures, and identify best practices. An interagency working group, led by DOT, is currently developing performance metrics, research and data needs to support an integrated regional planning framework. The working group was established in June 2008 to identify opportunities to better align federal programs and resources to reduce traffic congestion, increase transportation mobility, improve air quality and realize other related environmental benefits.
###
The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its budget on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses for American families. Donovan and LaHood want to seek ways to cut these costs by focusing their efforts on creating affordable, sustainable communities.
The Secretaries discussed their plans for sustainable communities today at a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing hearing titled, "Livable Communities, Transit Oriented Development, and incorporating Green Building Practices into Federal Housing and Transportation." To read the full text of Secretary Donovan's testimony, visit HUD's website <http://www.hud.gov/offices/cir/test2009.cfm> .
"One of my highest priorities is to help promote more livable communities through sustainable surface transportation programs," said Secretary LaHood.
"This partnership will help expand every American family's choices for affordable housing and transportation," said Secretary Donovan. "HUD's central mission - ensuring that every American has access to decent, affordable housing - can be achieved only in context of the housing, transportation, and energy costs and choices that American families experience each day."
DOT and HUD have created a high-level interagency task force to better coordinate federal transportation and housing investments and identify strategies to give American families:
* More choices for affordable housing near employment opportunities;
* More transportation options, to lower transportation costs, shorten travel times, and improve the environment; and
* Safe, livable, healthy communities.
The HUD/DOT task force will:
Enhance integrated regional housing, transportation, and land use planning and investment. The task force will set a goal to have every major metropolitan area in the country conduct integrated housing, transportation, and land use planning and investment in the next four years. To facilitate integrated planning, HUD and DOT seek, through HUD's proposed Sustainable Communities Initiative which it will administer in consultation with DOT, to make planning grants available to metropolitan areas, and create mechanisms to ensure those plans are carried through to localities. DOT will encourage Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to conduct this integrated planning as a part of their next long-range transportation plan update and will provide technical assistance on scenario planning, a tool for assessing future growth alternatives that better coordinate land use, and transportation planning.
This effort will help metropolitan areas set a vision for growth and apply federal transportation, housing and other investments in an integrated approach to support that vision. HUD currently requires states, cities, and counties to prepare a five-year Consolidated Plan estimating housing status and needs. Concurrently, DOT requires States and metropolitan areas to develop Long Range Transportation Plans and four-year Transportation Improvement Programs. Coordinating these federally mandated planning efforts, including planning cycles, processes and geographic coverage, will make more effective use of Federal housing and transportation dollars.
Redefine affordability and make it transparent. The task force will develop Federal housing affordability measures that include housing, and transportation costs and other costs that affect location choices. Although transportation costs now approach or exceed housing costs for many working families, Federal definitions of housing affordability don't recognize the strain of soaring transportation costs on homeowners and renters who live in areas isolated from work opportunities and transportation choices. The task force will redefine affordability to reflect those interdependent costs. The task force will also continue to ensure that the costs of living in certain geographic areas are transparent- using an online tool that calculates the combined housing and transportation costs families face when choosing a new home.
Develop livability measures. The task force will research, evaluate and recommend measures that indicate the livability of communities, neighborhoods and metropolitan areas. These measures could be adopted in subsequent integrated planning efforts to benchmark existing conditions and identify progress toward achieving community visions. The task force will develop incentives to encourage communities to implement, use and publicize the measures.
Harmonize HUD and DOT programs. HUD and DOT will work together to identify opportunities to better coordinate their programs and encourage location efficiency in housing and transportation choices. HUD and DOT will also share information and review processes to facilitate better-informed decisions and coordinate investments.
Undertake joint research, data collection and outreach. HUD and DOT will engage in joint research, data collection, and outreach efforts with stakeholders, to develop information platforms and analytic tools to track housing and transportation options and expenditures, establish standardized and efficient performance measures, and identify best practices. An interagency working group, led by DOT, is currently developing performance metrics, research and data needs to support an integrated regional planning framework. The working group was established in June 2008 to identify opportunities to better align federal programs and resources to reduce traffic congestion, increase transportation mobility, improve air quality and realize other related environmental benefits.
###
Strategic Growth Council Public Meeting - April 1, 2009
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) will hold its second meeting on Wednesday, April 1 from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m.
The meeting will be held at CalEPA, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I Street in Sacramento. The agenda is available at http://opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html and materials for the meeting will be available on Monday, March 30.
Meeting Details and Agenda:
CalEPA, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I St. Sacramento, CA 95814
Webcast: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Broadcast/
Contact: AnnaMarie.Young@opr.ca.gov
Public comment is taken prior to a vote on any agenda item as well as at the end of the meeting.
The meeting will be held at CalEPA, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I Street in Sacramento. The agenda is available at http://opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html and materials for the meeting will be available on Monday, March 30.
Meeting Details and Agenda:
CalEPA, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I St. Sacramento, CA 95814
Webcast: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Broadcast/
Contact: AnnaMarie.Young@opr.ca.gov
Public comment is taken prior to a vote on any agenda item as well as at the end of the meeting.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Update: Strategic Growth Council and SB 375 Committees are Underway
Strategic Growth Council Held First Meeting on February 17, 2009
The Strategic Growth Council held its first meeting on February 17. The Council members, Linda Adams, CalEPA, Kim Belshe, California Health and Human Services, Dale Bonner, Business Transportation and Housing, Cynthia Bryant, Office of Planning and Research, and Mike Chrisman of the Resources Dept, appeared engaged and ready to move forward with a positive agenda.
The Secretaries each made opening remarks and expressed their interest in specific issues and programs. These included the implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), implementation of SB 375, the State’s Blueprint planning process, the connection between a healthy environment and healthy people, protection of natural resources, and sustainability issues.
Staff to the Council provided presentations on the implementing legislation for the Council (SB 732), the scope of the Council, and administrative items. There was some discussion amongst the Council members regarding these items, and public comment. Several Council members had questions about the connection between Proposition 84, the establishment of the Strategic Growth Council, and the implementation of SB 375, which requires the Air Resources Board to adopt regional greenhouse gas emission targets.
Decisions made by the Council at the meeting included electing Director Bryant of the Office and Planning and Research (OPR) as the Council’s temporary Chair, and agreeing to meet again in the next 4 to 6 weeks, with quarterly meeting schedule to follow. The nomination of Co-Chair was deferred until a public member is appointed.
Action items identified for the next meeting included:
- Staff will propose a schedule for the remaining quarterly meetings in 2009
- Staff will provide a recommendation for how to staff the Council going forward
- Revised Draft Operating Guidelines will be considered for adoption
- The Department of Finance will be invited and the Council will discuss the Infrastructure Report, how to engage in the process, and AB 857 goals
- A presentation from CSG was requested on ideas and examples for how to structure the Proposition 84 grant programs
Materials provided at the meeting are available at www.opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html.
The Strategic Growth Council held its first meeting on February 17. The Council members, Linda Adams, CalEPA, Kim Belshe, California Health and Human Services, Dale Bonner, Business Transportation and Housing, Cynthia Bryant, Office of Planning and Research, and Mike Chrisman of the Resources Dept, appeared engaged and ready to move forward with a positive agenda.
The Secretaries each made opening remarks and expressed their interest in specific issues and programs. These included the implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), implementation of SB 375, the State’s Blueprint planning process, the connection between a healthy environment and healthy people, protection of natural resources, and sustainability issues.
Staff to the Council provided presentations on the implementing legislation for the Council (SB 732), the scope of the Council, and administrative items. There was some discussion amongst the Council members regarding these items, and public comment. Several Council members had questions about the connection between Proposition 84, the establishment of the Strategic Growth Council, and the implementation of SB 375, which requires the Air Resources Board to adopt regional greenhouse gas emission targets.
Decisions made by the Council at the meeting included electing Director Bryant of the Office and Planning and Research (OPR) as the Council’s temporary Chair, and agreeing to meet again in the next 4 to 6 weeks, with quarterly meeting schedule to follow. The nomination of Co-Chair was deferred until a public member is appointed.
Action items identified for the next meeting included:
- Staff will propose a schedule for the remaining quarterly meetings in 2009
- Staff will provide a recommendation for how to staff the Council going forward
- Revised Draft Operating Guidelines will be considered for adoption
- The Department of Finance will be invited and the Council will discuss the Infrastructure Report, how to engage in the process, and AB 857 goals
- A presentation from CSG was requested on ideas and examples for how to structure the Proposition 84 grant programs
Materials provided at the meeting are available at www.opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=sch/growthcouncil.html.
SB 375 Implementation: First Meeting of the Regional Targets Advisory Committee
On February 3, 2009, the Regional Targets Advisory Committee (RTAC), established by the passage of SB 375 (Steinberg) last year, held their first meeting. Mike McKeever of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) will serve as the Chair of the Committee in a consensus building and facilitation role.
By statute, the RTAC is required to provide recommendations to the Air Resources Board (ARB) for regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets by September of this year. The Committee has a lot to cover in that timeframe, and therefore plans to have monthly public meetings, which may ramp up to be held twice a month near the end of the process. A subset of the Committee and staff also intends to meet between the public meetings in order to set the agendas and keep things moving along.
Several presentations were given at the February 3rd meeting, including an overview of ARB Scoping Plan and SB 375 by ARB staff, Research on Land Use and Transportation effects on GHG emissions by Fehr and Peers, and a case study by SACOG staff.
There was considerable discussion around the advantages and disadvantages of using reduced vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as a metric, and how that may be different from GHG emissions as a metric. Various topics were raised for consideration, such as the job and housing balance, mixed land uses, fuel prices, avoiding "dense sprawl," public transit, and the varying base characteristics of the different regions in the state.
The Committee discussed the scope of their work using the "Suggested Key Questions for the RTAC to Address," a document circulated with the meeting materials, as a framework for the discussion. There was a great deal of discussion around these questions, and a revised version of this document will be developed and considered for official adoption.
Several people provided public comment, including representatives from Audubon Sacramento, Southern California Leadership Council, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, American Lung Association, San Diego Council of Governments, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Southern California Council of Governments. Topics brought up for consideration included the protection of natural resources; economic benefits and impacts; aiming for sustainability or the three Es - environment, economy, equity; enhancing public health; measuring VMT on the ground; and using GHG emissions as a metric instead of VMT.
The Committee has tentatively set their regular meetings for the first Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for March 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
More information can be found on the RTAC website: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/sb375/rtac/meetings/meetings.htm
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