Helpful Links

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast
• Advance Planning Efforts Overview
• Greenhouse Gas Inventory
• Planning Commission Introductory Presentation
  
• 2014 Climate Action Plan
• Butte Choice Energy Authority
• Climate Action Plan Main Webpage
• Project Consultant: PlaceWorks

Description

The Butte County CAP is a long-term strategic document to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Butte County. Reduction targets in the CAP call for a 15 percent reduction below baseline 2006 GHG emission levels by 2020 consistent with State guidelines, and a 42 percent reduction below baseline 2006 levels by 2030.

The CAP will provide Butte County a strategic pathway toward a more sustainable and resilient future with further reductions in GHG emissions. The community is a key partner with the County to achieve the short- and long-term GHG reduction targets, and the County is committed to broad outreach and engagement during preparation of the CAP.

The CAP preparation process will be:

• Inclusive by involving multiple County and community stakeholders, with attention to traditionally underrepresented communities, communities of color, youth, and vulnerable populations. The process should encompass a broad array of perspectives and interests, both within the County government and the larger community.
• Comprehensive and integrated by including mitigation actions across a range of sectors within the county, as well as supporting broader state and regional initiatives when possible and appropriate.
• Relevant to meet a range of community goals with broad-based support for implementation, i.e., deliver local community benefits and support local development priorities.
• Actionable by proposing cost-effective actions that can realistically be implemented by the actors involved, given local mandates, finances, and capacities.
• Evidence-based and grounded in accepted science and be consistent with adopted regulations and guidance documents to ensure that the plan has a strong technical and legal foundation.
• Transparent and verifiable through an open decision-making process, set goals that can be measured, reported, independently verified, and evaluated.

Components
The Butte County CAP is made up of several individual sections and analyses that work together to support the desired outcomes. The CAP has five major technical components as described below. The plan preparation process also includes community, stakeholder, and staff engagement as an integral component throughout.

1. Review, update, and incorporate GHG inventories and forecasts. The inventories summarize the unincorporated county’s sources of GHG emissions, while the forecast projects these emissions for future years. The CAP will include updated GHG inventories for the baseline year of 2006, a new inventory for 2019, and forecasts for the years 2030 and 2050. GHG inventories are conducted for both emissions released as a result of County operations and as a result of the unincorporated communities.
2. GHG target setting identifies the level of GHG reductions that the County must achieve in future years. These targets are based on state guidance for GHG reductions and help ensure consistency with the existing regulatory framework. The CAP will include targets for the years 2030 (updated) and 2050 (new). The County’s adopted CAP established GHG reduction targets of 15 percent below 2006 levels by 2020 and 42 percent by 2030.
3. GHG reduction strategy to further reduce GHG emissions related to County operations and community activities while supporting the County’s economic development and quality of life goals consistent with state guidance. The updated and new strategies will be. These strategies are based on existing and planned activities, as well as the results of the inventories/forecasts.
4. The implementation program will ensure that the strategies in the CAP are effectively put into practice. It will include implementation details for each GHG reduction strategy including timeframe, responsibility, applicability, key partners, and tracking indicators, among other components.
5. Implementation will also include a CAP Consistency Checklist. The CAP Consistency Checklist will reflect new reduction measures, emissions data, and other changes. This resource allows County staff to easily track how many new development projects are complying with the applicable GHG reduction measures, minimizing data collection time and supporting more detailed and accurate CAP progress reports. It also helps project applicants to clearly understand the CAP-related measures that they must implement as well as those that are encouraged but not mandated.
6. Environmental review of the CAP will be consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act and will include preparation of an Addendum to the General Plan Environmental Impact Report.

Phases of Preparation and Timing
 
Laws and Requirements

• SB 32
  • Requires the state to reduce its emissions levels to 40% below the 1990 levels by 2030
• Executive Order S-03-05
  • Establishes CA GHG emission reduction targets
    • By 2020 reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels
    • By 2050 reduce GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels
• Executive Order B-55-18
  • Statewide order to achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the climate action plan?
  • A plan to help residents and businesses save energy and money.
  • A tool to address climate change in Butte County.
  • A strategy to implement the General Plan and achieve sustainability in unincorporated communities.
• What is the current emissions trajectory?
  • 2019 community-wide inventory results show a 14% emissions decrease from 2006 emissions.
• How are you including wildfire emissions in the CAP?
  • The County understands the importance of presenting this information and our project team is actively looking into reviewing the best options.
• How is the CAP funded?
  • Senate Bill (SB) 2 funding.

Want to Learn More?
Please contact Tristan Weems, AICP for more information on the project:
Tristan Weems, AICP Associate Planner | Project Manager                                                                                                  
Phone: (530) 552 3685                                                                                                                                                     
Email: tweems@buttecounty.net