Earth Equity News

California Set to Reduce Emissions Via Tightening Sprawl. By Margot Roosevelt, LATimes, August 21, 2008. "The [California] Legislature is on the verge of adopting the nation's first law to control [CO2 emissions] by curbing sprawl. The bill… is expected to pass the Assembly today and the Senate on Friday. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position… but sponsors expect him to sign [after] the state passes a budget. The [bill]… would offer incentives to steer public funds away from sprawled development. The state spends about $20 billion a year on transportation, and under the new law, projects that meet climate goals would get priority. An earlier version of the bill was blocked last year by the building industry and by organizations representing cities and counties. Developers feared their suburban projects would be delayed or halted. Local officials were wary of ceding zoning powers and transportation planning to the state. But momentum for the legislation has grown as the state seeks to implement its landmark 2006 global warming law, which would slash California's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a 30% cut from expected emissions. To accomplish that, state officials say, fuel-efficient cars and factories won't be enough. Subdivisions, commercial centers and highways must be planned so that Californians can live and work closer together, reducing the amount they drive."