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Comment 37 for Comments on regional targets for SB 375 (sb375-targets-ws) - 1st Workshop.


First Name: Gerald
Last Name: Cauthen
Email Address: Cautn1@aol.com
Affiliation:

Subject: [BATF] Failing to Meet AB 32 Requirements
Comment:
AB 32 calls for California's greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions to be
reduced to 1990 levels by 2020.  This represents a legitimate
effort on the part of Governor Schwarzenegger and the State
Legislature to do California's part to stave off, or at least slow,
down horrific climate change.

In response, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has just
called for  per capita GHG emissions to be reduced to 15% below the
2005 level by 2035.  For this, it is unaccountably receiving praise
in some quarters.  First and foremost, in contrast to AB 32, MTC's
approach does not take into account Bay Area significant projected
population growth, the rate of which is likely to pick up as the
economy recovers and as other parts of the northern hemisphere get
hotter and drier. Secondly, given the large increase in GHG
production that occured between 1990 and 2005 a 15% reduction from
the 2005 level...even if it did include provision for population
growth which it does not...would still leave the GHG production
level 20% above 1990 levels.  In fact, given MTC's weak response to
the State mandate and considering the trend toward smaller vehicles
and more efficient propulsion systems, the Bay Area's regional
planners have in reality positioned themselves with little if
anything to do.  This is underscored by the fact that MTC projects
that its anachronistic highway expansions and largely impotent
public transit developments will actually increase regional VMT
(vehicle miles per day) from the 107.7 million that prevailed in
1990 to 202.8 million by 2030. 

See http://www.mtc.ca.gov/maps_and_data/datamart/stats/vmt.htm

In other words, since the forthcoming increases in fuel economy
will by themselves reduce emissions, MTC is doing virtually nothing
to address California's GHG problem.  On the contrary, as evidenced
by the above-indicated VMT increases, MTC's programs actually make
the problem worse.  


If there is anyone who seriously thinks that a 15% per capita
reduction in GHG production by 2035 would get us even close to
returning to a 1990 total emission level by 2020 as specified in AB
32, I have a shiney new bridge to sell them.

 

Gerald Cauthen

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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2010-08-03 15:49:39



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