would require the greatest changes in regions with
The disagreement reflected a fundamental division
the highest per capita emissions.
between committee members and, in some, perhaps
2. That ARB choose targets based on a statewide
ambivalence about the entire project of judging
uniform target. But that it allow for adjustments
land-use decisions based solely on their ability to
up or down for each region, depending on regional
reduce GHGs. To some, the purpose of SB 375 is to
differences (such as transit infrastructure).
create better transit, more compact neighborhoods,
3. That chosen targets be “the most ambitious
and other on-the-ground changes to development
achievable” for each region and “not be set low
patterns. So why not permit regions to declare success
simply to allow MPOs to meet their targets with
once they can show a plan that adopts these best
the SCS.”
32
land use practices and on-the-ground changes—even
4. That the state quickly develop a spreadsheet tool
for “Best Management Practices” (BMP). This tool
without a model capable of predicting resulting GHG reductions?
would list available land-use and transportation policies and practices and associated VMT
What more should the state be asking for beyond
reductions, to assist ARB and the regions in
the embrace of best practices, in the view of some
their planning.
committee members, especially from smaller MPOs?
5. That the state take steps to secure increases in
Others, especially those who had witnessed the
funding for transit and transportation planning.
success of the model-driven Sacramento Blueprint Project, believed that a list of best practices would be
DISAGREEMENTS
no substitute for calculations of the amount of GHG reductions actually achieved over time. Unable to agree on a recommendation on this point, the RTAC sent the question on to ARB. 3 5
Potentially even more illuminating than its final recommendations, however, are the debates RTAC had as a committee and the points on which it could
not agree. Much of the committee’s time was spent assessing available travel demand models, the modeling capabilities of the state’s 18 MPOs, and the
UPCOMING DEADLINES
extent to which use of those models should be required for all MPOs in implementing the bill. The committee
The next implementation steps will be critical. Under
agreed that its assessment revealed significant
the plan recommended by RTAC, each region will
variations among the models being used and the
gather data and work cooperatively with ARB to
capacities of MPOs to employ them. It also agreed on
suggest its own regional target by March 1, 2010. 3 6
the need to “augment” travel demand models with
ARB then must propose draft regional targets by June
other methods to inform choices under SB 375, such as the Best Management Practices tool described above.
33
30, 2010 and decide on final targets by September 30 of that year. San Diego will be the first region to attempt
It could not agree, however, on whether MPOs should
to prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy, for
have the choice of relying solely on BMP tools, rather
inclusion in its Regional Transportation Plan slated
than travel demand models, to assess compliance with
to be adopted in July 2011. Other regions, including
the ARB target.
34
Southern California, will follow closely behind.
19