Climate Action Plan Update

Workshops

February 18, 2021 Public Workshop

June 9, 2021 Stakeholder Workshop

Helpful Links

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% reduction below baseline 2006 GHG emission levels by 2020 consistent with State guidelines, and a 42% reduction below baseline 2006 levels by 2030.

The CAP will provide Butte County with 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 the 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% below 2006 levels by 2020 and 42% 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 the preparation of an Addendum to the General Plan Environmental Impact Report.

Phases of Preparation and Timing

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% below 1990 levels
  • Executive Order B-55-18
    • Statewide order to achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045