Draft MTP/SCS Comments Received - sacog

909 12 th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 444-5900
Fax: (916) 444-6661
staff@sacbreathe.org
www.sacbreathe.org
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Board of Directors
2011 - 2012
Sue Schooley,
President
Ralph Propper,
President-Elect
Jarvio Grevious,
Treasurer
Diana Proctor,
Immediate Past
President
Roni Abacherli
Paul Adams
Peter Adams
Jennifer Copeland
Patricia Dean
Jim Edelen
Gordon Garcia, MD
Doug Grandt
Kristin Gray
Helen Hernandez
Ken Hough
Michelle Kessel-Harbart
Diana Parker
Ashley Rice
Rita Ruecker
Arif Seyal, MD
Jean Shaw
Sue Teranishi
Earl Withycombe
Kori Titus, CEO
Breathe California of
Sacramento-Emigrant Trails is
dedicated to healthy air and
preventing lung and other airpollution
related diseases by
partnering with youth, advocating
public policy, supporting air
pollution research, and educating
the public.
January 9, 2012
Chair Peter Hill
Board of Directors
Sacramento Area Council of Governments
1415 L Street Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy 2035 (MTP/SCS
2035)
Dear Mr. Hill and SACOG Board Members,
Breathe California of Sacramento‐Emigrant Trails (BCSET) has been active in the region since
1917, advocating for clean air, healthy lungs, and a tobacco free future. We have developed a
Clean Air Agenda which includes various strategies and recommendations for local jurisdictions,
businesses, organizations and individuals that can be achieved through efficient energy and land
use. Our mission is to ensure air quality and public health concerns are being addressed through
minimizing mobile source pollution and promoting alternative forms of transportation such as
walking, biking, and using public transportation.
We commend SACOG’s enormous effort to put forth a Sustainable Communities Strategy; we
encourage efforts to meet air quality standards and continued investment in alternative forms of
transportation. Although we are pleased to see a 7 % increase in funding per capita for bicycle
and pedestrian use in the 2011 MTP Draft Plan for 2035; we would like to see increased funding
for this effort and a developed timeline to achieve a complete system of active transportation.
BCSET is confident that increasing this investment will help the overall well being of our region by
reducing vehicle miles traveled and encouraging residents to use alternative forms of
transportation.
As stated in the corresponding DEIR, our region will initiate efforts to develop an emissions
budget for PM 2.5. In accordance to this regulation, we encourage an increase in the size of
buffer zones from 500 feet to 1,000 feet in high‐volume roadways and land use for residents. This
will benefit public health by minimizing the impacts to residents living near roadways and high
traffic areas. In addition, these mitigation practices will assist our region with meeting air quality
standards as set forth by SB 375, California’s sustainable communities and Climate Protection Act.
We are grateful for SACOG’s staff effort and leadership to create a thorough and prosperous plan
for 2035, and look forward to the continued development of this blueprint to better benefit air
quality and public health in our region. As always, BCSET looks forward to continued partnership
with SACOG staff and are thankful for your time.
Cordially,
Kori Titus
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