On Thursday, June 26, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft AB 32 Scoping Plan, detailing how the state plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. This plan is an important milestone and sets California on the path towards becoming a model for reducing emissions from many sectors.
However, the draft Scoping Plan's greatest single deficiency is that it fails to include meaningful measures to promote Smart Land Use and Efficient Transportation. The draft reduction targets are so low that business-as-usual sprawl development is likely to continue, albeit with some additional funding for regional planning and rewards for good behavior. It has also omitted critical measures to create a world class public transportation system, and encourage innovative transportation that can ease people's commutes while reducing emissions.
Contact the California Air Resources Board and let them know:
* You support CARB's inclusion of better community design and reducing VMT, but the proposed reduction target (2MMT) is way too low.
* Major regions across the state are trying to do more, but need tools such as congestion pricing and indirect source rules,which are currently listed as "under evaluation.”
* We must take action on land use and reducing driving now in order to ensure that we can meet not just our 2020 targets, but also our 2050 targets.
* Public transportation is a critical part of the solution. The state should direct infrastructure dollars toward transportation projects and programs that promote efficiency and sustainability.
Write to CARB or Attend a Workshop!
If you're concerned about climate change and believe that California needs to address the underlying issues of poorly-planned growth and auto-dependence, CARB needs to hear from you! CARB has scheduled a series of public workshops in the next several weeks to receive public feedback, and they are planning more events for August. Comments on the draft scoping plan are due to ccplan@arb.ca.gov by August 1. Please write to CARB and/or attend one of the workshops to share your feedback.
Workshops are currently scheduled for:
July 8 – Diamond Bar 9:30 AM - 04:00 PM. South Coast AQMD, 21865 Copley Drive.
July 14 – Fresno 9:30 AM - 04:00 PM. Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno Street, 2nd Floor
July 17 - Sacramento 9:30 AM - 04:00 PM. Cal/EPA Headquarters, 1001 I St. Byron Sher Auditorium
August 8 - San Jose 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM. Dept. of Environmental Health, 1555 Berger Drive, Suite 300.
August 15 - San Diego: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM. San Diego County Board of Supervisors, 1600 Pacific Hwy # 402.
In 2006, California passed AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, making California the first state in the nation to commit to achieving the Kyoto Protocol. Under AB 32, California will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Currently, the State is developing a Scoping Plan to achieve the goals of AB 32. The Plan, when it is completed, will include a range of GHG reduction actions. The Land Use Subcommittee of the Climate Action Team (LUSCAT), is currently soliciting input on land use and transportation strategies to include in the Scoping Plan. The draft scoping plan is scheduled for release in June 2008.
The final Scoping Plan will be adopted by the end of 2008. The Scoping Plan is just the first step in a multi-year process to implement AB 32. In 2009 and 2010, CARB will develop policies and regulations to achieve the broad vision identified in the Scoping Plan. These policies must be adopted by the end of 2010, and must take effect by January 2012.
California's Climate Action Team created a Land Use Subcommittee, known as LUSCAT, whose members include state agencies involved in in land use and transportation. The goal of LUSCAT was to make recommendations to CARB on how best to reduce emissions from the land use sector. On April 8, 2008, the LUSCAT released its report outlining a framework for addressing the climate change impacts of land use, transportation and local government actions. To download the LUSCAT report as a pdf, click here.