California residential utility customers will receive a 'climate dividend', about $30 twice a year as part of the nation's first comprehensive 'cap & trade' program if the CA Public Utility Commission accepts a staff proposal at its Dec. 20 meeting,
David R. Baker explains the details of the climate dividend and the "complicated rules" involved in the Air Resources Board giving the state's "electric utilities all of the carbon permits they would need in the first year for free". In turn, the utilities "had to sell those permits - called allowances - at an auction held last Wednesday (Nov. 14)".
The climate dividend would come from the sale of those allowances and would mean no net increase in utility rates for residential customers. In addition, commercial customers would receive a small percentage from the sale of allowances.
"On the basis of today's decision, we have a solid blueprint for helping customers ease into a carbon pricing regime, and reap the benefits," said Alex Jackson, legal director of the California climate project at the Natural Resources Defense Council."
The details of the boon to California utility rate-payers were released on Friday, Nov. 17, the same day that Gov. Jerry Brown appeared at the Greenbuild Expo organized by the United States Green Building Council in San Francisco where he praised Wednesday's auction of greenhouse gas permits. Jason Dearen of the Associated Press covered that event, as did John King and David R. Baker of the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Human impact on climate is real,” Brown said. “It is growing, and we need to take steps to stop it or there will be catastrophic consequences.”
While similar to President Obama's acknowledgment of climate change in his speech on Nov. 14, the same day that marked the advent of the cap and trade program with the auction of emission permits, the different paths that California and the nation are taking in response to climate change become evident.
Blogging on the president's speech in The Hill's E2 Wire (Energy & Environment blog) "Obama vows climate efforts but stays vague on agenda", Ben German writes that the president "offered no concrete agenda to expand on current administration policies to address what he called a major threat". However, the president was firm on one aspect of tackling climate change: "...a carbon tax is likely a non-starter".
FULL STORY: Cap and trade may be plum for homeowners

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)