Comment Log Display

Mary Nichols
Chair, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street 
P.O. Box 2815
Sacramento, CA  95814

RE:  Comments on Air Resources Board Proposed  Scoping Plan

Dear Chair Nichols:

As the Vice Mayor for the City of Dixon, thank you for the
opportunity to comment on the California Air Resources Board’s
(ARB) Proposed Scoping Plan (Scoping Plan).  

I am proud of the groundwork our energy strategic plan provides to
reduce Dixon’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) and
increased energy efficiency.  Our upcoming general plan update will
include both an energy and air quality strategic plan.  

Dixon will soon have a proposal before the city council that could
make Dixon’s city government carbon neutral with no impact to our
general fund.  Therefore, with these efforts to date, I feel we can
meet most of the intent of AB 32.

However, while in general support of a number of the programs and
policies outlined in the Scoping Plan, within the control of local
government, I withhold comments on the Scoping Plan appropriately
allowing the SB 375 process to develop regional
transportation-related GHG targets.  Implementation of the regional
planning processes in SB 375 are new and largely untested.  The 5
MMT figure, while a place holder, nevertheless sets an appropriate
benchmark that helps assure that the state can achieve its overall
2020 goal.  

As both the state and local governments are faced with critical
budget shortages, additional costs to heavily invest in GHG
emission technologies in the next 2 to 3 years will become more
burdensome for some local governments.  However, many local
governments can lead by example to reduce GHG, reduce the cost of
government and create jobs when taking a long-term view.  This
should influence development design to a certain extent; the
reality is that developers can build projects that will be cost
effective and profitable when considering the project’s lifecycle. 
I strongly encourage the ARB to consider these limitations and
opportunities as it moves forward with the Scoping Plan

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment.  While my term on
the city council will expire this December, I look forward to
working with the ARB in the future as an informed citizen.  

Sincerely,


Michael C. Smith
Vice Mayor