Comment Log Display

March  7, 2013


California Air Resources Board
P.O. Box
2815 
Sacramento, CA 95812

RE: Comments on the ARB Draft Investment Plan

Dear Air Resources Board:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Air Resources Board
Cap and Trade Auction Proceeds Investment Plan Draft Concept Paper
(Draft Investment Plan).  Women For: Orange County is based in
Orange County, California and our mission is Working for a Better
World - a grassroots advocacy organization founded in 1984.  Our
organization includes support from over 200 residents in the
county.  We are writing to provide substantive comments on the
Draft Investment Plan as it relates to natural resources and
conservation.

We support better alignment with AB 1532’s mandates as it relates
to natural resources and conservation strategies as a mechanism to
reduce emissions.  The Draft Investment Plan mentions natural
resources and conservation but does not utilize or identify
appropriate tools that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)
through conservation and restoration of habitat lands.  AB 1532
states that auction revenues shall be used to facilitate the
achievement of reductions of GHG emissions in California.  These
funds shall be spent in a manner that maximizes economic,
environmental, and public health benefits.  The Act specifically
states the GHG Reduction Fund shall appropriate funds towards one
of several items, including the reduction of GHG emissions
associated with water use and supply, land and natural resources
conservation and management, forestry, and sustainable agriculture.
 Yet, not a single conservation strategy is outlined in the
Investment Plan that furthers this mandate.  Please revise the
Draft Investment Plan to include land conservation tools as a
strategy for emissions reductions.


Existing funding sources could be leveraged to increase
conservation dollars and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are
numerous types of conservation funding from local government
general funds, development fees, grant funds allocated from the
federal Endangered Species Act, funding from California’s General
Obligation (GO) bond measures and many other sources. To continue
to implement a regional conservation plan, ongoing funding sources
is needed to meet conservation objectives and to complete the
conservation vision.  Any cap and trade revenues available for
regional conservation plans would be a much needed boost to the
conservation effort while concurrently meeting emission reduction
targets.  

Thank you for your time and the opportunity to provide feedback to
the Air Resources Board on the Draft Investment Plan.

Sincerely,

Judy Curry

Environmental Chair
Women For:  Orange County

cc:	Cliff Rechtschaffen