Climate Action Plans (CAP) are detailed and forward thinking analyses that include measuring, planning, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other impacts from the climate crisis. Most CAP include an GHG inventory, goals for reductions, and prioritized actions for reduction of GHG emissions.

LandWatch Involvement

• Letter: LandWatch Requests Future Buildings be All Electric (72K PDF)
  LandWatch strongly supports the adoption of a county-wide ordinance requiring all new building construction to be all-electric (no natural gas) and include increased requirements for electric vehicle charging. Specifically, LandWatch strongly supports Board action to advance option 2, requiring new construction and requiring new construction to be all-electric with increased requirements for electric vehicle charging. (11.09.22)
• Letter: County Responds to LandWatch’s January 2022 Letter (343K PDF)
  The County responded to the letter noting the data was “placeholder” data. Further, the County committed that it will update the VMT estimates used in the GHG inventory using a method similar to the recommendations of the comment letter LandWatch provided. This is a step in the right direction. (04.29.22)
• Letter: LandWatch Finds Errors in Greenhouse Gas Report (112K PDF)
  LandWatch Monterey County reviewed the draft Monterey County Greenhouse Gas Inventory Technical Report. We commend the County, the Ascent Environmental consulting team, and AMBAG staff for developing a rigorous, thoughtful, and comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory. In particular, we appreciate the sound approach for estimating emissions from fertilizer, as well as the detailed analysis – even if it was ultimately deemed out-of-boundary – for regulated stationary sources, as well as oil & gas emissions. That said, we identified two substantive errors in the on-road transportation methodology that should be addressed. (01.20.22)
• Report: Monterey County Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory (1.24MB PDF)
  The County of Monterey released in January 2022 its Draft Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory. The document is being developed as part of the Monterey County Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. (01.10.22)
• Publication: LandWatch Commissions Study of County’s Emissions (2.3M PDF)
  Through a study funded by LandWatch, EcoDataLab found that Monterey County’s overall greenhouse gas inventory is overwhelmingly dominated by agricultural and transportation emissions. EcoDataLab’s inventory estimates that roughly 45% of GHG emissions from the unincorporated area of the County derive from agriculture, with another 31% coming from transportation (both on- and off-road). Because roughly 76% of Monterey County’s emissions come from agriculture and transportation, the County’s mitigation strategies in its Climate Action Plan need to focus on these two sectors. (04.26.21)
• Letter: LandWatch Comments on Climate Action Plan (60K PDF)
  For the late October Board of Supervisors’ meeting, LandWatch provided substantive comments on the proposed Climate Action Plan, supporting the Planning Commission’s unanimous support. (10.23.20)

Project Status

• County Plans to Reduce GHG Emissions
  This Monterey County Weekly article features the four workshops offered by the County’s Alternative Energy and Environment Committee in May and June. Newer legislation requires regions to more substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which means Monterey County must step up its game. LandWatch’s January 2022 letter criticizing the flawed analysis was included in the article. (05.05.22)

• Supervisors Asked to Slow Down
  Fire regulations are a big topic as much of the state burns. CalFire’s new fire regulations were released and the Board of Supervisors letter related to the regulations was full of errors and seemed to support reducing the maximum road width in fire areas. (06.14.21)
• Letter & PowerPoint: LandWatch Comments on Supervisors’ CalFire Letter (1.7M PDF)
  LandWatch relays its significant concern about the proposed letter to CalFire regarding roadway widths in high fire areas. The letter endorses numerous changes to CalFire’s proposed regulations, but it does not actually provide those changes. Even worse, the draft comment letter seeks to weaken the proposed regulations; slow down their adoption with procedural hurdles; invite developers to sue the County for applying the regulations (think Paraiso Springs); and give the County more discretion to make exceptions, making it more vulnerable to future litigation and litigation expenses. (06.14.21)
• Letter: County Board of Supervisors submits Letter to CalFire (2.8M PDF)
  In a 5-0 vote the Supervisor submitted a letter to CalFire on its proposal to reduce standards for roads in wildfire prone areas. The letter sent by the County ignored the fact that the Supervisors had not seen the draft regulations and the fact that minimum standards for road access/restrictions for dead-end roads are needed to protect life and property. (06.15.21)