The Bay Area's air pollution regulatory agency may approve in January the nation's first guidelines to limit greenhouse gas emissions for new developments, but it would be up to local governments to enforce them.
The thrust of the new California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines appears to prevent sprawl-type development in the Bay Area if cities and counties adopt them. Recent lawsuits by Attorney General Brown may cause them to do just that.
"The Bay Area's air pollution district is proposing the nation's first-ever guidelines for when projects would produce enough global warming gases to warrant an environmental review of ways to reduce them."
"We want to make sure development minimizes its impact on greenhouse gases," said Harry Hilken, director of planning for the nine-county Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
"The state has passed legislation with goals to reduce these emissions in several sectors, but there has been a big void about how to get new development to contribute its fair share", he said.
Thanks to MTC-ABAG Library
FULL STORY: Bay Area pollution district eyes first guidelines for reducing global warming

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.

Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.

Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service