State Agencies

The California Air Resources Board thinks that cap-and-trade is the best way to reach greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the state, and is formulating a plan to extend it beyond 2020.

California can be a model for the rest of the country and the world on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, grow the economy, and encourage healthy public debate---thanks to legislation authored by outgoing Senator Fran Pavley.

Caltrans guidelines still prioritize the movement of cars over the safety of other users, despite other state efforts to address the problem. The California Bicycle Coalition is asking the department to update its guidance.

Many months after its Deputy Director for Sustainability, Steven Cliff, went back to work for the Air Resources Board, Caltrans has hired a replacement for this key post. New hire Ellen Greenberg comes with impeccable credentials, having worked as a planner in both public sector and private sector jobs. She worked most recently at Arup, a design, planning, and engineering firm, where she worked on jobs in the Bay Area, throughout the state, and internationally. She worked as director of policy and research at the Congress for New Urbanism, and served for a short while as its interim executive director.

Caltrans' Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Branch has been working with SafeTREC, UC Berkeley's Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, on a couple of projects to increase safety. The researchers are asking for locally collected data on the number of pedestrians and bicycles using state highways and local arterials roads.

Long-time Caltrans planning chief Katie Benouar is retiring, so there's a job opening up at the top of the transportation planning division.

Caltrans is making some progress on its first-ever statewide bicycle and pedestrian plan. The progress is happening at a Caltrans pace, but it is coming along. Two workshops were held this week to discuss what's been done so far: the draft vision, goals, and objectives. An online survey seeks input on what needs to be added or adjusted.

The USC Schwarzenegger Institute held a small congratulatory celebration of the tenth anniversary of A.B. 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act, at the California Museum in Sacramento today.

At last week's California Air Resources Board hearing to discuss its plan for meeting climate change goals, the cap-and-trade system that has underpinned much of the state's efforts got raked over the coals. But not by the industries subject to the emissions cap.