First Name | Chris |
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Last Name | Tooker |
Email Address | ctooker@winfirst.com |
Affiliation | Sacramento LAFCO |
Subject | AB 32 Scoping Plan |
Comment | 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 |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2008-12-10 14:34:21 |
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