The PCL Insider: News From The Capitol

PCL WELCOMES NEW LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR!

The Planning and Conservation League is very proud to announce that Tina Andolina will be joining the PCL staff as our new Legislative Director.

Tina most recently served as the Chief Lobbyist for the Coalition for Clean Air in Sacramento where she developed a reputation for her effective advocacy, strong leadership, and infinite energy. Before joining the coalition she led successful campaigns for the California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the Trinity River, and other environmental allies.

At PCL, Tina will oversee our multi-issue legislative program and be a constant presence at the state Capitol.  Expect updates from Tina on our legislative activities in upcoming installments of the PCL Insider.

Tina will be officially joining our staff today.

Want to stay in touch with Tina? Send her your contact information at tandolina@pcl.org.

BONDING TOGETHER FOR SMART INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

Next Tuesday, the state Legislature will hold the first of several hearings on the allocation of funds for the $40 billion package of bonds passed by voters last November.

This first hearing will address portions of Proposition 1C, which provides nearly $3 billion for construction of affordable housing and smart growth planning in California.

In preparation for these upcoming hearings, PCL has teamed up with other environmental, land use, transportation, social justice, labor, and business organizations to make sure that bond expenditures are truly smart investments for the future of California.

For example, we're working together to make sure that monies from Proposition 1C are spent on infill projects that preserve habitat and agriculture and do not relegate low income communities to the suburban fringe, far from public transit, schools, grocery stores, and jobs.

We are also joining with the California League of Conservation Voters and the Natural Resources Defense Council to demand that virtually all our infrastructure spending be specifically designed to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by at least 10% by the year 2030.

The VMT reduction model provides planners with a simple and transparent tool to measure and communicate progress towards achieving smart growth goals.

By reducing the overall vehicle miles traveled by Californians, we cut down global warming emissions, reduce energy use, help clean up our air, and stop the sprawl that is fundamentally undermining almost every aspect of California's environment and community life.

For more information on the upcoming hearings, contact Tina Andolina at tandolina@pcl.org.

GOT WATER? STATE'S TOP COURT REJECTS APPROVAL OF FRINGE DEVELOPMENT FOR FAILING TO ANALYZE LONG TERM WATER SUPPLY

Last Thursday, the California Supreme Court ruled in Vineyard Area Citizens v. City of Rancho Cordova that an 18,000-home development under construction at the southern edge of Sacramento should not have been approved by County Supervisors due to uncertainties about the project's long-term water supply. This decision is, if you'll pardon the pun, a genuine "watershed" decision, and overturns earlier decisions by trial and appellate courts dating back five years.

The Sunrise Douglas project in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova was approved in 2002 by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Numerous environmental organizations, including PCL, had objected to the environmental review of the Sunrise development and noted that the County had not adequately analyzed whether or not there would be enough water to support future residents while meeting the needs of existing populations.

When these calls for more careful analysis went unheeded, the Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth filed litigation against the County.

The Court's decision quotes from an amicus brief submitted by the law firm of Rossmann and Moore, on behalf PCL, noting our concern that the project's depiction of future water supplies "lacks quantification, with no analysis that would disclose whether the program will produce sufficient supplies and storage capacity to meet expected demands." PCL Board member Jan Chatten-Brown also filed an Amicus brief for the Environmental Defense Center, Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment, and Friends of the Santa Clara River.

While the decision has important ramifications for smart planning in California, it also highlights the dangers of reckless choices by regional decision makers.

In 2002, the city of Rancho Cordova decided to allow developers to proceed with construction despite ongoing litigation. About 1,800 houses have been built so far, leaving new residents stranded in a dusty suburb filled with construction equipment, unfinished public amenities, and an uncertain future.

It's a shame that local governments and developers were willing to put these families at risk instead of meeting their legal obligations to address potential environmental issues.

Read coverage of the decision in the Sacramento Bee.
Read the Vineyard Area Citizens v. City of Rancho Cordova decision.

IF IT’S TUESDAY IT MUST BE WARMING: CALENDAR UPDATES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE EVENTS IN CALIFORNIA

Since PCL is a statewide organization, our calendars are crammed with meetings and appointments across California. And with the rush of activities concerning California's new climate change policies, it gets even harder to know if today was Rancho Cordova or Riverside.

To help keep it all straight we've composed this quick calendar of big climate change events:

Last Friday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world's largest consortium of climate scientists, released its Forth Assessment Report on the Physical Science Basis of Climate Change. And guess what? These cautious scientific types are really, really, really certain that climate change is happening and that burning fossil fuels and poor land use are primarily to blame. 

See the Summary Report for policy makers.
Read more at forbes.com and the LA Times.

Thursday, February 22 & Friday, February 23 – Cap and Trade Symposium

Want to get up to speed about the potential pitfalls and possibilities for global warming pollution trading in California? Come down to UC Berkley for a two-day conference, "Cap and Trade as a Tool for Climate Change Policy: Design and Implementation" at the UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law. Leading representatives in the field will discuss various economic and policy frameworks to minimize risks and maximize effectiveness. Trade your burning questions for hot answers!

Tuesday, February 27 – Market Advisory Committee

In October 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order to create a Market Advisory Committee to make recommendations on the design of a market-based compliance program as part of the state's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Committee's first public meeting will be held in three weeks. Their final recommendations are due June 30, 2007.

Cal-EPA Building, 1001 I Street
Byron Sher Hearing Room
Sacramento, CA
9 am to Noon.

Thursday, March 1 – Economic and Technology Advisory Committee

AB 32 (Nuñez & Pavley), which requires California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020, required the creation of advisory committees on Economic and Technology Advancement and on Environmental Justice.

The first quarterly public meeting of the Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee will be held early next month to discuss activities that will facilitate investment in and implementation of technological research and development opportunities. 

The first meeting of the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee has not yet been scheduled.

Monday, March 5 through Wednesday, March 7 – Technology Symposium 

What's the future of cleaner technology and how will such technologies be incorporated into the state's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Find out more at the California Air Resources Board's "International Symposium on Near-Term Technology Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation in California."  Where do they come up with these catchy titles?

Monday, March 12 – Climate Action Team Report Update

The Climate Action Team was created by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005 to report on the progress made toward meeting his statewide greenhouse gas targets and implement global warming emission reduction programs.

Their 2006 Climate Action Team Report created much of the impetus for AB 32.

The Team will be holding a public meeting to discuss their ongoing efforts to update the report.

Got more events for our Climate Calendar? Let us know!