Comment Log Display

As a commissioner on the Sacramento Local Agency Formation
Commission (LAFCO), I am focused on preventing urban sprawl and it
climate change impacts, providing efficient municipal services and
protecting the County’s remaining agricultural lands and open
space. In passing AB 32, the Legislature and the Governor clearly
recognized the imperative of effectively addressing climate change
NOW in order to assure the vitality of California's future economy
and quality of life.  Meeting this challenge requires major changes
in public policy to assure that the "externalities" so long ignored
by our economic system are adequately "internalized". The mythical
“free lunches” of the past are behind us. Such changes must
reflect, in part, a clear understanding of the relationships
between land use, energy use, and climate change.  As with the
critical national and world-wide economic crisis that we face
today, a half-hearted attempt to address climate change is doomed
to failure!  Fundamental and even difficult changes in the way we
grow our communities are needed NOW! 

Accordingly, CARB should raise the land use target in the AB 32
Scoping Plan from 5 million metric tons of C02 equivalent (MMT) to
11-14 MMT. The 5 MMT target is based upon models that are widely
acknowledged to underestimate the benefits of dense, mixed-use
development, while the higher target is achievable with policies
California is already considering. In addition to reducing green
house gas emissions, such changes will provide other long term
benefits, including more efficient municipal services, energy
savings, and preservation of important agricultural lands and open
space resources that are critical to our long term economy and
quality of life.

Setting a higher target for the land use sector will signal to
local governments that establishing new land use patterns is a
critical part of the transformation in our economy that is needed
to combat global warming.  Conversely, a low target will send the
signal that business-as-usual development can continue and that
someone else will solve the problem.

Chris Tooker
Public Member Commissioner
Sacramento LAFCO