Southern CA MPO Snubs Air Board By Reducing Emissions Targets

The building lobby was successful in convincing the southern California metropolitan planning organization board members to lower these targets, in effect reducing the incentive to encourage denser, less auto-dependent development.

"Instead of setting the goal of reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 8% in 2020 and 13% in 2035 as recommended by the state’s Air Resource Board after a lengthy public process, SCAG chose to set goals of 6% reduction in 2020 and 8% in 2035. The 8/13 targets were rejected by a 21 to 29 vote. Unfortunately, this means that design standards and community plans throughout the region will have less density, encourage fewer transportation options, and create less vibrant communities with less open space over the next twenty five years than they would have if SCAG would have followed the state board’s recommendations."

Meanwhile, environmentalists scorned the decision. (An) Associated Press article quotes a frustrated representative of the American Lung Association, while other articles quote (Natural Resource Defense Council’s) Amanda Eaken, who has emerged as something of an expert on this issue. Locally, ClimatePlan staffer and Streetsblog contributor Gloria Ohland commented simply that “we have more work to do.”