January 2012 The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) recently released their Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for 2035 (MTP/SCS) which is a regional plan for transportation investment priorities in the six-county region based on projections for growth in population, housing and jobs. The MTP/SCS addresses the transportation needs of the 2.3 million people currently living in the Sacramento Region and offers more transportation and land use options and makes the most of transportation funds despite funding cuts and regulatory restrictions. The plan improves upon past efforts to use funding wisely, reduce time spent in congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the number of residents with access to transit.
The strategies found within the Draft MTP/SCS focus on integrating transportation and land use and align with the objectives of the Cleaner Air Partnership. The Cleaner Air Partnership has found that air-friendly growth and maximization of efficient transit and road use will bring about a decrease in vehicle miles traveled, and consequently, an overall reduction in air quality implications. Better air quality helps improve public health and our region’s overall quality of life, which is important to the business community’s focus on improved workforce productivity and new business attraction and retention.
The Cleaner Air Partnership submitted a letter of support to the SACOG Board of Directors with strong encouragement to continue to support smart growth strategies which improve air quality, and adopt the MTP/SCS by April 2012 to meet conformity requirements and avoid unnecessary risks to the region’s transportation funds. Residents within the SACOG region are encouraged to:
Read the Draft MTP/SCS to increase your knowledge of the regional plans for transportation fund allocation; and/or
Encourage the SACOG Board of Directors to adopt the MTP/SCS by April 2012 and meet conformity requirements and avoid unnecessary risks to the region’s transportation funds.
The Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP) is pleased to announce that the Port of West Sacramento, Union Pacific, and the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® have joined CAP as 2012 funding partners. The Cleaner Air Partnership brings together business, local government, health and environmental communities to help the Capital Region meet clean air standards that protect health and promote economic growth. More...
South Coast Air District releases "Right to Breathe" Documentary "The Right to Breathe" is the South Coast Air Quality Management District's (AQMD) first signature documentary film on air quality viewed from a personal and human perspective. This film highlights how air quality differs from region to region, and how serious the air quality problem has become for kids, seniors, and the rest of us. More...
Breathe California Launches Air Quality iPhone App The Sacramento Region is ranked as having some of the worst air quality in the nation and asthma and other damaging health impacts affect far too many people here. To help parents, kids, seniors, and advocates get instant access to the latest air quality conditions, Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (BCSET) teamed up with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) to develop a new mobile iPhone application - iBreathe: Sacramento. More...
Print and save: Metro Chamber Spare the Air tips Our region was near the bottom of the “place” category in last year’s Sacramento Area Trade and Commerce Organization comparison of 11 competing U.S. regions. A key factor: our low score for air quality. More...
