By Sharon Buckenmeyer

The State’s Climate Action Team just released an Extreme Heat Adaptation Interim Guidance Document to provide direction to State agencies for the incorporation of extreme heat projections into planning and decision making. The guidance document focuses on the health aspects of increasing temperatures in California and provides recommendations to State agencies for strategies for cooling the built environment (buildings, roadways and paved surfaces) and mitigating the effects of urban heat islands. These recommendations include creating heat resilient and cooler communities by identifying opportunities to incorporate strategies to increase urban greening (trees, parks and green roofs), using lighter colored or cooler materials and stream restoration. While this document is prepared as a guideline for State agencies, it is visualized local governments will use it as well. To view the Extreme Heat Adaptation Interim Guidance Document, please click here. Comments on the draft document can be made by the general public online at: climatechange@calepa.ca.gov.

Sharon Buckenmeyer is a paralegal at Abbott & Kindermann, LLP. For questions relating to this article or any other California land use, real estate, environmental and/or planning issues contact Abbott & Kindermann, LLP at (916) 456-9595.

The information presented in this article should not be construed to be formal legal advice by Abbott & Kindermann, LLP, nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Because of the changing nature of this area of the law and the importance of individual facts, readers are encouraged to seek independent counsel for advice regarding their individual legal issues.