Comment Log Display

Comment Log Display

Below is the comment you selected to display.
Comment 46 for Scoping Plan Update Discussion Draft and Workshop Comments Log (draft-update-sp-ws) - 1st Workshop.


First Name: Lauren
Last Name: Michele
Email Address: lauren.michele@policyinmotion.com
Affiliation: TRANSPORTATION COALITION

Subject: TRANSPORTATION COALITION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES_AB32 SCOPING PLAN COMMENTS
Comment:
Dear Chairperson Nichols:

The Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities is a diverse
coalition of agencies and institutions responsible for operating,
maintaining, and advancing a sustainable transportation system in
California. Our primary interest in this Scoping Plan Update is to
ensure that transportation-related strategies contribute to
significant and long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Building off key elements of the 2008 Scoping Plan, we strongly
recommend that the Board consider the use of cap and trade revenues
for transportation projects and programs that are coordinated with
land use policies in order to achieve regional greenhouse gas
emission reduction targets and to meet the state’s 2030 and 2050
goals. 

Transportation is a key emitter of greenhouse gases, but no single
strategy in this sector will achieve AB 32 goals. To reach the
long-term goals of this Scoping Plan Update, the state will need to
partner with local and regional governments—its “critical
partners”—to implement projects that improve the efficiency and
connectivity of transportation systems. In addition, infrastructure
investments will need to be made to support projects that
coordinate transportation and land use policies. The best research
indicates that investments in transportation infrastructure lead to
greater emission reductions when coordinated with surrounding land
use policies and services.

Our recommendation for the Scoping Plan is that ARB consider and
prioritize funding for transportation related projects based on
cost effectiveness and coordination with land use policies.  SB 375
has already created this framework. Regional agencies have
developed Sustainable Communities Strategies to leverage
coordinated transportation and land use strategies to meet
long-term GHG reduction targets.  Thus, prioritizing auction
revenues in regional strategies that link land use to improved
transportation infrastructure will generate the long-term GHG
reductions critical to meeting the Scoping Plan goals.  

By linking costs likely to be imposed on the motoring public to
improvements in the transportation system, our proposal also aligns
with broad public sentiment: the Public Policy Institute of
California’s July 2013 annual survey on the environment reports
that over 70% of voters favor spending cap and trade revenues on
public transit, repaving roads, and encouraging local governments
to change land use and transportation planning so that people could
drive less.  

We urge you to consider these important factors in the final update
to the Scoping Plan:  

•	SB 375 has the potential to make significant contributions to the
2030 and 2050 AB 32 Scoping Plan Update goals if it's implemented
to its full potential. 
•	The critical component lacking is a funding mechanism tied to SB
375 to ensure that we get beyond plans to full implementation.  Cap
and trade revenue could be a key source of funds for this purpose
and to create a transportation system with a significantly lower
carbon footprint than the current one.  
•	A key factor in achieving SB 375 potential is integration of land
use and transportation infrastructure under a performance-based
approach. While the Scoping Plan highlights specific references to
affordable transit-oriented development (TOD), selecting all
projects, including TOD and transportation improvements, based on
GHG performance will encourage changes to overall land use patterns
that result in significantly greater GHG emissions reductions. 
•	The Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities has put
forward a plan for spending a portion of cap and trade revenue that
would incentivize improved land use and a more efficient
transportation system while achieving the most cost-effective GHG
emission reductions. 
•	We urge you to focus on implementing and building upon the
framework of SB 375 Sustainable Community Strategies as part of
achieving the Scoping Plan's 2030 and 2050 goals.

This approach is supported by members of the Transportation
Coalition for Livable Communities, which includes the California
Transit Association; California Alliance for Jobs; Natural
Resources Defense Council; League of California Cities; California
State Association of Counties; CALCOG, as well as California’s
major Metropolitan Planning Organizations including SACOG, MTC,
SCAG and SANDAG; San Joaquin Valley Policy Council; Sacramento
Metropolitan Air Quality Management District; Environmental Defense
Fund; Transportation California; California Chapter of the American
Planning Association; American Lung Association in California;
California Center for Sustainable Energy; and a growing list of
over 50 environmental, business, and government organizations
statewide.

Our uniting principle is that auction revenues derived from vehicle
fuels should be used to fund emission reductions from the
transportation sector. This should include integrated
transportation investments that implement the AB 32 regulatory
program and build on the framework of SB 375 and other GHG
reduction strategies. The approach incentivizes combinations of
transportation investments, including transit service and operating
costs, road and bridge maintenance, retrofits for complete streets
and urban greening, and clean technology infrastructure – all
integrated with land use changes to achieve the maximum greenhouse
gas emission reductions from the transportation sector.

An integrated strategy most equitably and effectively meets the
transportation and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of the
state and local communities. Furthermore, this approach achieves
the most cost-effective results and supports a range of community
benefits including public health, resource protection, affordable
housing, equity, air quality, safe routes to schools, and other
community services.  

In this Scoping Plan Update, we strongly support your consideration
of cap and trade revenues as a key greenhouse gas emission
reduction strategy for the transportation sector.  Implementing
strategies that integrate transportation and land use investments
will be key in both meeting the state’s 2050 goals and creating
efficient and well-maintained transportation networks statewide. 
We urge you to consider the Transportation Coalition’s proposal
(attached) that was developed for the Investment Plan as part of
your update to the Scoping Plan.  


Sincerely,

TRANSPORTATION COALITION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
•	California Alliance for Jobs 
•	California Transit Association  
•	California State Association of Counties  
•	League of California Cities 
•	California Association of Councils of Governments
•	Natural Resources Defense Council  

 
COALITION SUPPORT LIST
•	Sacramento Area Council of Governments  
•	Southern California Association of Governments  
•	Metropolitan Transportation Commission  
•	San Diego Association of Governments
•	San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council  
•	Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District  
•	Environmental Defense Fund
•	Transportation California 
•	Self-Help Counties Coalition  
•	American Lung Association in California
•	American Planning Association - California Chapter
•	American Council of Engineering Companies of California
•	Alameda County Transportation Commission
•	Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
•	Bay Area Council
•	California Center for Sustainable Energy
•	California Urban Forests Council
•	Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
•	Central Coast Coalition
•	City of Davis
•	City of Sacramento 
•	Cobblestone Placemaking
•	Council of San Benito County Governments
•	County of Marin
•	County of Monterey 
•	County of Napa
•	County of Sacramento 
•	County of San Bernardino 
•	County of Santa Clara
•	County of Stanislaus
•	El Dorado County Transportation Commission 
•	Humboldt County Association of Governments
•	Kern Council of Governments
•	Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority
•	Local Government Commission
•	Madera County Transportation Commission
•	Marlon Boarnet, Director of Graduate Programs in Planning and
Development, USC
•	Merced County Association of Governments
•	Met Sacramento High School 
•	Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency
•	Napa Valley Transportation Authority
•	OmniTrans - San Bernardino Valley
•	Placer County Transportation Planning Agency
•	Sonoma County Transportation Authority/Regional Climate
Protection Authority 
•	Richmond SPOKES
•	Sacramento 350
•	Sacramento Tree Foundation
•	San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
•	San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority
•	San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
•	San Mateo County Transit District
•	Santa Barbara County Association of Governments
•	Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
•	Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission
•	Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District
•	Santa Monica Big Blue Bus
•	Shasta Regional Transportation Agency
•	Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition 
•	Sustainable Napa County
•	Teichert
•	Transportation Agency for Monterey County
•	United Contractors 
•	Urban Counties Caucus
•	Victor Valley Transit Authority
•	WALKSacramento
•	Western Riverside Council of Governments

ELECTED OFFICIALS SUPPORT
•	Steve Cohn, Councilmember, City of Sacramento
•	Don Saylor, Supervisor, County of Yolo
•	Joe Krovoza, Mayor, City of Davis 

Attachment: www.arb.ca.gov/lists/com-attach/51-draft-update-sp-ws-BXEAdFU1Um9VIAd3.zip

Original File Name: TRANSPORTATION COALITION LETTER AND PROPOSAL.zip

Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2013-11-01 13:02:49



If you have any questions or comments please contact Office of the Ombudsman at (916) 327-1266.


Board Comments Home

preload