CEQA, Global Warming and General Plans
Climate Action at the Local Level
The fact that climate change presents a new challenge under CEQA has not stopped local governments from taking action. A growing number of cities and counties are addressing climate change in their general plan updates and accompanying CEQA documents. These agencies understand the substantial environmental and administrative benefits of a programmatic approach to climate change. Addressing the problem at the programmatic level allows local governments to consider the big picture and provided it's done right allows for the streamlined review CEQA of individual projects. (See, e.g. CEQA Guidelines, 15064(h)(3); 15152(f)(1); 15152(h).)
Guidance on CEQA, Global Warming, and General Plan Updates
Guidance addressing CEQA, climate change, and general planning is emerging, for example, in comment letters by the Attorney General, and negotiated resolutions, including the recent settlement with City of Stockton and the Sierra Club, which requires preparation of a climate action plan.
Still, local governments and their planners have questions. In response, the Attorney General's Office has compiled a list of general plan, CEQA-related Frequently Asked Questions and their answers, and in addition, Examples of General Plan Policies to assist cities and counties in their general plan updates.
There are existing sources and new funding sources available to cities and counties to assist in climate action planning.
Additional Planning Resources
The State Clearinghouse Planning Unit within the Governor's Office of Planning and Research coordinates the state-level review of environmental documents pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), provides technical assistance on land use planning and CEQA matters, and coordinates state review of certain federal grant applications. It maintains many documents relevant to local planning. Visit the State Clearinghouse's General Plan webpage at http://opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=planning/plans.html.
In 2008, Senate Bill 732 created the Strategic Growth Council (SGC). The SGC is charged with, among other things, encouraging sustainable land use planning. The SGC will develop criteria for awarding grants under Proposition 84, which makes approximately $90 million available for planning grants and planning incentives, including regional and local general plans. Proposition 84 grant money is expected to be available in early 2010. Visit the SGC's website at http://www.sgc.ca.gov/.
The Department of Housing and Community Development provides guidance on many issues specific to general plan housing elements. To view HCD's guidance materials, including the recent document, Housing Element Policies and Programs Addressing Climate Change, visit the agency's website at http://www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/.
In June 2009, the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association released a new guidance document, Model Policies for Greenhouse Gases in General Plans. The document includes a discussion of general plan structure, a menu of model policy language, and a worksheet to assist cities and counties in evaluating the effectiveness and cost of potential measures.
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has developed a Local Government Toolkit containing guidance and resources to help local governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. The Local Government Toolkit includes information on 1) how to calculate and inventory current GHG emissions; 2) a recommended target to reduce GHG emissions; 3) cost-saving strategies to take action now; 4) financial resources to get started; and 5) case studies to learn what other cities have been able to accomplish. The Local Government Toolkit is available at CoolCalifornia.org, an online government, university, and NGO partnership. CoolCalifornia.org is packed with quick, easy-to-use and reliable tools that all Californians need to save money and reduce their impact on the climate.
For additional background on ARB's Local Government Toolkit and a summary of future resources that will be part of ARB's "one-stop-shop," visit ARB's "Local Actions for Climate Change" website at www.arb.ca.gov/cc/localaction/localaction.htm.
For the latest on other ARB local government activities, visit ARB's "Land Use and Local Initiatives" greenhouse gas sectors portal at www.arb.ca.gov/cc/ghgsectors/ghgsectors.htm#govern.