PCL E-Mail Blast Archive, 2008 -

PCL INSIDER: News from the Capitol STILL SQUISHY: STATE RELEASES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CEQA GUIDELINES FOR GLOBAL WARMING; DOSE OF BOLDNESS NEEDED On Monday, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research released its proposed amendments to the CEQA Guidelines to address global warming. The changes are a result of SB 97 of 2007, which required the preparation of guidelines "for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions or the effects of greenhouse gas emissions."    While Monday's proposal fixes some glaring problems in the previous draft, it still creates worrisome loopholes and opportunities for mischief.   Here are two examples:   The proposal would allow a public agency to "describe, calculate, or estimate the emissions from a project" and "rely on qualitative analysis or performance based standards" when determining if the emissions should be mitigated. That's much too vague. When people have diabetes, they need exact measurements, not a general description of their condition. The same applies in the fight against global warming; if you don't measure it precisely and address each unit of pollution, we won't solve the problem.   The proposal also provides no direction on how to address the impacts of global warming. Will a proposed project be threatened by rising sea levels? What about wildfires and changing precipitation patterns? By pretending that these effects aren't important, the proposal will result in people being put in harm's way and create new challenges for wildlife trying to cope in a warming world.   The Natural Resources Agency will conduct a formal rulemaking process to certify and adopt the amendments later this year.   It's unfortunate that the proposal doesn't sufficiently prepare public agencies to address the causes and effects of global warming when carrying out the CEQA process. CEQA is California's premier environmental law. If properly implemented, it can be one of our best tools to fight global warming. In a time that calls for bold action, we shouldn't be squishy.     PCL FOUNDATION TO HOST CEQA WORKSHOP IN TUJUNGA (NORTHERN LOS ANGELES COUNTY) - SIGN UP TODAY!   Want to know how the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) can work for your community? You're in luck! The PCL Foundation is partnering with local groups throughout the state to present our popular CEQA workshops, featuring our updated "Community Guide to CEQA." We'll review the fundamentals of California's premier environmental law, identify the key legal obligations of public agencies, and provide helpful tips on how to make sure those obligations are met. Our new workshop also highlights how CEQA can aid local residents in the fight against global warming.   Mark your calendars for our next workshop on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA):   Sunday, June 7th - Tujunga Workshop (Northern Los Angeles County) -Register Now!   For more information, or to request a workshop in your community, please contact Paul Gilligan at pgilligan@pcl.org or (916) 313-4506.        1107 9th Street, Suite 360, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone (916) 444-8726 • Fax (916) 448-1789 pclmail@pcl.org • www.PCL.org • www.PCLFoundation.org   Please add pclmail@pcl.org to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. You are receiving this email because the email address was subscribed to our email list. Having trouble reading this email? View it on our website. Copyright, 2008 The Planning and Conservation League. All rights reserved. Privacy and Contribution Policies. Click here to unsubscribe

PCL Insider Archive, 2005 - 2008

1107 9th Street, Suite 360, Sacramento, CA 95814 • Phone (916) 444-8726 • Fax (916) 448-1789 •

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