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.
In the last 20 years, the Sacramento Region has made substantial air quality improvements, despite a 40% increase in population. The Cleaner Air Partnership's inaugural 2011 Sacramento Region Air Quality Progress Report and its companion Summary Sheet tell the story of how air quality, public health and economic vitality in the Sacramento Region are connected. More...
Wood Burning Rule Amendments Passed The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's (SMAQMD) Board approved changes to the Sacramento County wood burning regulations (Rule 421) at their meeting on September 24th. This rule restricts burning wood when air pollution levels are predicted to exceed federal health standards during the winter season. More...
Greenhouse law creates long list of decisions Carrying out California’s landmark greenhouse gas reduction law AB 32 may be a long-term proposition, but important decisions and hearings are popping up seemingly every month about how to get it done. More...
Larry Greene Named Environmental Sustainability Leader of the Year Larry Greene, Executive Director for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, received the Environmental Sustainability Leader of the Year award at Valley Vision's Legacy Feast event on May 19, 2011. More...
