September 2010

By Leslie Z. Walker

The alliances between homebuilders and conservation groups forged during the drafting of Senate Bill 375 unraveled around the Regional Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Targets for Automobiles and Light Trucks (“Targets”) adopted today by the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”). Despite the suffering building industry’s claims that the Targets are too ambitious, CARB unanimously voted to adopt the Targets. The Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008, Senate Bill 375, requires CARB to set targets for GHG reduction for 2020 and 2035 and further requires the 18 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (“MPOs”) include Sustainable Communities Strategies (“SCS”) to achieve these Targets in their Regional Transportation Plans.
Continue Reading CARB Adopts SB 375 Targets for GHG Reductions Despite Economic Concerns

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Homebuilders attempt to constrain the designation of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.
Continue Reading U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not Required to Predict the Point of Return for Critical Habitat under the Endangered Species Act

By Emilio Camacho & Leslie Walker

The County of Sacramento kicked off Phase 2 of the Climate Action Plan development at a workshop on Wednesday, August 25, 2010. Phase 2 will develop strategies to implement the Climate Action Plan (CAP), a comprehensive plan for becoming more resource efficient and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, originally released in May 2009.
Continue Reading Sacramento County Climate Action Plan – Part Two