Greenhouse Gas Accounbng: Protocols, Procedures and Planning for ...
Greenhouse
Gas
Accoun-ng:
Protocols,
Procedures
and
Planning
for
Local
Governments
Los
Angeles
Regional
Collabora-ve
Mee-ng
March
9,
2011
Sarah
E.
Morrison
Deputy
AHorney
General
California
AHorney
General’s
Office
Calcula-ng Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
AB 32 Global Warming Solu-ons Act of 2006
• 1990 Levels of GHG emissions by 2020
ARB SCOPING PLAN
State GHG Emissions Trajectory
Source: ARB Scoping Plan (2008)
Role of Local Governments • Local Government are “essen-al partners in achieving California’s GHG goals” • Goal: 15% Reduc-on of GHG emissions from current levels by 2020.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
POWERFUL TOOL TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS
Does CEQA Apply to Global Warming Impacts?
SB 97 • Climate Change is Environmental Impact under CEQA • CEQA Guidelines Amended to Address Climate Change Impacts
CEQA : What Does It Require? • Analyze Impacts – Es-mate GHG Emissions from Project • Determine Significance of GHG Impacts • Impose all Feasible Mi-ga-on Measures to Reduce GHG Impacts • Consider a Range of Alterna-ves
Global Warming Impacts Analysis • Baseline ‐ Exis-ng Condi-ons – Inventory of Exis-ng GHG Emissions
• Impact – Adverse Change in Environment – Es-mate of Future GHG Emissions from Project
GHG Emissions Calcula-ons A lead agency should make a good‐faith effort, based to the extent possible on scien-fic and factual data, to describe, calculate or esFmate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulFng from a project. (CEQA Guidelines, §15064.4.)
Significant GHG Impacts?
GHG Significance Criteria • Generate GHG emissions that may have a significant impact on the environment • Conflict with any applicable plan, policy, or regula-on of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs
GHG Emissions ReducFon Targets • Adopt Targets to Meet AB 32 GHG Reduc-on Goal • Reduce GHG Emissions 15% below exis-ng levels by 2020.
Mi-ga-on Is Key
Mi-ga-on Measures: Feasible and Enforceable
Climate Ac-on Plan • GHG Current Emissions Inventory • Future Emissions Es-mate • Emission Reduc-on Targets • Enforceable Measures to Achieve Targets • Monitoring and Repor-ng • Mechanisms for Plan Revision
Climate AcFon Plans & General Plans • Benefits of including in General Plan: – Substan-al streamlining under CEQA – Opportunity to look at “big picture” – Addi-onal, flexible mi-ga-on opportuni-es, e.g., mi-ga-on funds – Ability to include reduc-ons related to exis-ng development – Enforcement
Tiering, Streamlining GHG • Plan streamlining applies to “plans or regula-ons for the reduc-on of greenhouse gas emissions” • New Sec-on on “Tiering and Streamlining the Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15064(h)(2) & 15183.5)
AG CEQA AcFons • Under CEQA, the AHorney General has: • SubmiHed over 45 comment leHers on projects permiHed at local level • Filed two lawsuits • Nego-ated seven agreements • Many coopera-ve discussions • Issued guidance documents
– All available on‐line on California AHorney General’s Global Warming webpage • hWp://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/ceqa.php
Other Benefits
SOME FUNDING SOURCES • DOE’s Energy Efficiency & Conserva-on Block Grant Program
– $350 million available to local governments in California – $700 million in s-mulus bill for local gov’ts to purchase alterna-ve fueled vehicles & plug‐ins
• Energy Conserva-on Bonds for loans & grants to implement green building programs • AB 811 – Funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects on Private Property • Grants for Small Local Governments ‐ $30 million is available to smaller ci-es and coun-es through a compe--ve grant program offered by the California Energy Commission. • BAAQMD GHG reduc-on Grant Program ‐ $3 million funding for CAPs.
Resources • California Climate Change Portal ( hWp://www.climatechange.ca.gov/ • California Air Resources Board hWp://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/localgovernment/ localgovernment.htm • Governor’s Office of Planning and Research hWp://opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=ceqa/index.html • California AHorney General’s Office hWp://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/ • ICLEI hWp://www.iclei.org • Ins-tute for Local Government hWp://www.ca‐ilg.org • CAPCOA, CEQA and Climate Change hWp://www.capcoa.org/index.php • Local Government Commission hWp://www.lgc.org/
Contact Informa-on
Sarah Morrison [email protected] 213‐897‐2640
Calcula-ng Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
AB 32 Global Warming Solu-ons Act of 2006
• 1990 Levels of GHG emissions by 2020
ARB SCOPING PLAN
State GHG Emissions Trajectory
Source: ARB Scoping Plan (2008)
Role of Local Governments • Local Government are “essen-al partners in achieving California’s GHG goals” • Goal: 15% Reduc-on of GHG emissions from current levels by 2020.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
POWERFUL TOOL TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS
Does CEQA Apply to Global Warming Impacts?
SB 97 • Climate Change is Environmental Impact under CEQA • CEQA Guidelines Amended to Address Climate Change Impacts
CEQA : What Does It Require? • Analyze Impacts – Es-mate GHG Emissions from Project • Determine Significance of GHG Impacts • Impose all Feasible Mi-ga-on Measures to Reduce GHG Impacts • Consider a Range of Alterna-ves
Global Warming Impacts Analysis • Baseline ‐ Exis-ng Condi-ons – Inventory of Exis-ng GHG Emissions
• Impact – Adverse Change in Environment – Es-mate of Future GHG Emissions from Project
GHG Emissions Calcula-ons A lead agency should make a good‐faith effort, based to the extent possible on scien-fic and factual data, to describe, calculate or esFmate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulFng from a project. (CEQA Guidelines, §15064.4.)
Significant GHG Impacts?
GHG Significance Criteria • Generate GHG emissions that may have a significant impact on the environment • Conflict with any applicable plan, policy, or regula-on of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs
GHG Emissions ReducFon Targets • Adopt Targets to Meet AB 32 GHG Reduc-on Goal • Reduce GHG Emissions 15% below exis-ng levels by 2020.
Mi-ga-on Is Key
Mi-ga-on Measures: Feasible and Enforceable
Climate Ac-on Plan • GHG Current Emissions Inventory • Future Emissions Es-mate • Emission Reduc-on Targets • Enforceable Measures to Achieve Targets • Monitoring and Repor-ng • Mechanisms for Plan Revision
Climate AcFon Plans & General Plans • Benefits of including in General Plan: – Substan-al streamlining under CEQA – Opportunity to look at “big picture” – Addi-onal, flexible mi-ga-on opportuni-es, e.g., mi-ga-on funds – Ability to include reduc-ons related to exis-ng development – Enforcement
Tiering, Streamlining GHG • Plan streamlining applies to “plans or regula-ons for the reduc-on of greenhouse gas emissions” • New Sec-on on “Tiering and Streamlining the Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15064(h)(2) & 15183.5)
AG CEQA AcFons • Under CEQA, the AHorney General has: • SubmiHed over 45 comment leHers on projects permiHed at local level • Filed two lawsuits • Nego-ated seven agreements • Many coopera-ve discussions • Issued guidance documents
– All available on‐line on California AHorney General’s Global Warming webpage • hWp://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/ceqa.php
Other Benefits
SOME FUNDING SOURCES • DOE’s Energy Efficiency & Conserva-on Block Grant Program
– $350 million available to local governments in California – $700 million in s-mulus bill for local gov’ts to purchase alterna-ve fueled vehicles & plug‐ins
• Energy Conserva-on Bonds for loans & grants to implement green building programs • AB 811 – Funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects on Private Property • Grants for Small Local Governments ‐ $30 million is available to smaller ci-es and coun-es through a compe--ve grant program offered by the California Energy Commission. • BAAQMD GHG reduc-on Grant Program ‐ $3 million funding for CAPs.
Resources • California Climate Change Portal ( hWp://www.climatechange.ca.gov/ • California Air Resources Board hWp://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/localgovernment/ localgovernment.htm • Governor’s Office of Planning and Research hWp://opr.ca.gov/index.php?a=ceqa/index.html • California AHorney General’s Office hWp://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/ • ICLEI hWp://www.iclei.org • Ins-tute for Local Government hWp://www.ca‐ilg.org • CAPCOA, CEQA and Climate Change hWp://www.capcoa.org/index.php • Local Government Commission hWp://www.lgc.org/
Contact Informa-on
Sarah Morrison [email protected] 213‐897‐2640
