Climate
Like the rest of the state, nation, and globe, Monterey County leaders are beginning to advance policies to address climate change impacts locally. This section will accumulate policies and decisions related to those climate change related decisions.
In addition to the multi-jurisdictional topics below we’ve also commented on climate issues in other areas. You can find more on the following pages:
Climate Action Plan
- Letter: Comments to the Seaside City Council on its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
LandWatch recommends Seaside City Council add language in Section 5 of the Scope of Work (SOW) for clearer identification and justification of greenhouse gas reduction targets. The letter highlights discrepancies with the Request for Proposal (RFP) and raises concerns about meeting CEQA requirements. It questions if the contracted services include reduction targets and their impact on the contract pricing. (02.01.24) - 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)
Wildfire Regulations
- 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)
