Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2008
California's Global Warming Plan Sets New Direction for Smart Growth
CARB raises the bar for land use – but not high enough, say advocates
Contacts:
Autumn Bernstein (530) 544-1092
Roxanna Smith (415) 453-0430
Sacramento -- California has upped the ante in its efforts to reduce global warming pollution using smart growth strategies, but the move falls short of what’s needed to rein in sprawling development. Today the California Air Resources Board (CARB) unveiled its final recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions under AB32 (the Global Warming Solutions Act), including policies that would cut emissions from new development by an estimated 5 million metric tons (MMT) by the year 2020. While recognizing the state’s progress on advancing smart growth – a previous draft of the plan called for just 2 MMT in reductions from the land use sector – advocates, academics, local government leaders and smart growth builders are lining up to say a more ambitious goal is needed.
“Growing smarter and increasing public transportation will not only fight global warming, it will also reduce traffic, improve community health, save energy, and help grow our local economy,” said Jake Mackenzie, Mayor of Rohnert Park and Vice-Chair of Government Relations for the Local Government Commission. “But we’ll reap the rewards only if we set a high bar.”
“The success of our historic climate law as well as community-based efforts to grow smarter depends on strong leadership from the state,” said Autumn Bernstein, the Director of ClimatePlan, a coalition of non-profit advocacy groups including the Local Government Commission, Greenbelt Alliance, American Farmland Trust, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, and NRDC. “Californians don’t want to spend their days in grinding commutes, so CARB should set a goal of at least 10 MMT and send a clear signal that new communities should be walkable, affordable, and have great transportation choices.”
Academics are also lining up in support of a more ambitious approach. A new analysis by Dr. Reid Ewing of the University of Maryland finds that an 11MMT to 14MMT reduction in the land use sector by 2020 would be feasible and advisable.
“For California to curb its greenhouse gas emissions, the state needs to give people options to drive less. Research shows that one of the best ways to accomplish that goal is to build communities where people can do more without having to drive more,” said Dr. Ewing, a nationally-renowned smart growth expert.
Current growth patterns put the state on a path that will result in a 50-70 percent increase in driving over the next 30 years. Such an increase in driving would cancel out the emissions benefits of improved fuel economy and low carbon fuels. On the other hand, Ewing’s analysis finds that building more housing close to jobs, coupled with an increase in the rate of transit service, would cut CO2 emissions by 11-14 MMT a year.
Smart growth builders and economists call the movement away from sprawl growth an economic imperative, saying that the last thing consumers are in the market for right now are houses that force them into long, expensive commutes. Another new study by Stanford University's Jim Sweeney finds that smart growth strategies would be a net economic positive for California's economy, and could help speed the recovery of California's housing market.
“Builders who ignore the market realities by continuing to build big McMansions out in the middle of nowhere do so at their own peril,” said John Anderson with New Urban Builders in Chico.
“Consumers want walkable, well-designed homes near transit and jobs,” said David Mogavero, an architect and builder in Sacramento who specializes in green, smart growth housing. “But without strong leadership from CARB, it will be difficult for builders to meet that demand. The deck is stacked in favor of sprawl, and its up to CARB to change that.”
Advocates point to SB375 – a landmark smart growth bill recently signed into law by the Governor – as evidence that land use planning should be a top priority for California's efforts to combat global warming. SB 375 would reward regions for building walkable, transit-friendly communities. Advocates say CARB's new plan does recognize and support SB 375, but they remain concerned that its success could be undermined by the low 5 MMT estimate.
They also point to two key missed opportunities in CARB’s new recommendations: (1) the state fails to prioritize public transit funding, and (2) it fails to employ an indirect source rule. The indirect source rule, already in effect in the San Joaquin Valley for air pollution, is a proven policy tool that helps developers and planners calculate the global warming pollution impact of their projects. Those developers can then make changes to their plan to reduce their carbon footprint.
Both the Sweeney and Ewing studies are available for download:
Download Ewing analysis (pdf, 310KB)
Download Sweeney analysis (pdf, 727KB)
The California Air Resources Board will vote to accept or reject the just released recommendations at a special two-day meeting on December 11-12, 2008.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2008
Landmark Smart Growth Bill Signed But Impact in Doubt
CARB targets to be released could undermine effectiveness
Contact: Roxanna Smith
(415) 453-0430
Sept. 30, 2008—This evening, just hours before SB 375 was set to expire, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the landmark smart growth bill into law. Supported by a cast of unlikely allies including builders, environmentalists, and local government planners, the bill directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to set regional targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. But advocates fear their celebration will be short-lived, noting CARB is expected to release its final recommendations for GHG emission reduction targets in all sectors of the economy—including the land use sector—this Friday.
“If CARB sets the bar too low, business as usual will be the order of the day. Sprawling growth and a lack of public transit options will be the result,” says Autumn Bernstein, Director of ClimatePlan, a coalition of non-profit advocacy groups that support the bill. ClimatePlan member organizations include NRDC, Local Government Commission, Greenbelt Alliance, American Farmland Trust and the Transportation and Land Use Coalition and many more (www.climateplan.org).
Last June, CARB released a draft GHG emission reduction target of two million metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MMTCO2E) for the land use sector, which was criticized for being too low. The state’s targets fall far below the 7.5 MMTCO2E target already in place in California’s four major regions.
“CARB must lead, not follow on this issue. Our local governments are ready to act, but they need the resources to get the job done,” said City of Los Angeles Planning Commissioner Michael Woo.
Acknowledging the current economic crisis, advocates point out that spurring smart growth and increasing public transit options act as “no cost” economic stimulus programs for Californians by addressing two of the state’s top economic concerns: falling home values and high gas prices. Studies show that homes and buildings that are close to public transit hold their value much better than comparative homes where no public transit is available. In the Bay Area, homes in Pleasant Hill have been found to decline in value by an average of more than $1500 for every 100 feet further away they are from the BART station there. Similar trends have been noted in communities all over the country including Los Angeles, Portland, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and New York.
“Smart growth planning is smart financial planning,” said Bernstein. “With gasoline at more than $4 per gallon, Californians are trapped in commutes they can’t afford. Smart growth addresses our expensive oil dependence by putting housing closer to jobs, thus shortening gas-guzzling commutes.”
The Air Board will vote in November to accept or reject the coming recommendations.