The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) recently released a new report Driving Change: Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled in California.  In response to Senate Bill 375 (SB 375), the report reviews and evaluates strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) including higher-density development, investments in alternatives to solo driving, and pricing policies. 

A significant finding from this PPIC report is that "...employment density matters more than residential density for encouraging transit use as an alternative to driving."  The study found that it is relatively easy for commuters to drive or bike to a transit station but there are fewer options to connect to make longer distance treks from the transit station to the workplace.  California is above the national average for residential density, and although California is lower than the national average for employment density, Sacramento is one of the only two major metropolitan areas in California which has higher employment density than residential density. 

Although unpopular with a majority of voters, the report suggests that raising road use fees through the traditional gas tax or a new fee based on vehicle miles traveled could help close the gaps in transportation funding.

Click here to find links for the full report and a summary.

Bioenergy is Focus at Next Quarterly Luncheon

"Bioenergy" or extracting fuel from organic materials and waste, has great potential to reduce air pollution while promoting job creation and economic growth. 

Please join our next luncheon on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at the Roseville Utility Exploration Center to engage in a discussion about this topic.  Speakers include:

• Brett Storey, Placer County - Environmental and air quality opportunities;
• Gary Simon, Clean Start Program - The business of bioenergy; and
• Susan Brown, California Energy Commission - 2011 Bioenergy Action Plan

The Cleaner Air Partnership thanks the City of Roseville for sponsoring our meeting space.  Lunch is free thanks to the generosity of our business partners Teichert and Union Pacific.  Please click here to RSVP.

Note: The Cleaner Air Partnership focuses on portions or all of Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado, Yuba, Sutter and Solano counties.  Due to the regional nature of our work, our quarterly luncheons rotate throughout the region.  If you are interested in carpooling to this luncheon, as a driver or a rider, please contact Tara Thronson.