New Scoping Plan Will Tighten Screws On VMT
Description
In spite of the California’s move toward electric vehicles, the Air Resources Board’s new scoping plan doesn’t let up on reduction in vehicle miles traveled – indicating that the state will continue to push local governments on land-use policies to reduce driving. CARB’s new goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 could also turn environmental analysis upside down under the California Environmental Quality Act. The scoping plan calls for a 25% reduction in VMT from 1990 levels by 2030, and 30% by 2040. These could conceivably turn into significance thresholds for CEQA purposes.