Parks for people in Los Angeles - Is it a crisis?

parks for People in LA

Over 1.5 million children in LA County do not live within walking distance of a park.

Nearly 67 percent of the kids in Los Angeles do not live within walking distance of a park, ballfield, or playground. Many of these children also are at a higher risk of developing a chronic illness such as diabetes, asthma, or obesity. Parks for People-LA is working within diverse communities to create new parks in Los Angeles County.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come.

* Parks for People: Working in cities and suburbs across America to ensure that everyone in particular, every child—enjoys close-to-home access to a park, playground, or natural area.
* Working Lands: Protecting the farms, ranches, and forests that support land-based livelihoods and rural ways of life.
* Natural Lands: Conserving wilderness, wildlife habitat, and places of natural beauty for our children's children to explore.
* Heritage Lands: Safeguarding places of historical and cultural importance that keep us in touch with the past and who we are as a people.
* Land & Water: Preserving land to ensure clean drinking water and to protect the natural beauty of our coasts and waterways.


Robert J. Reid
LA Area Director
The Trust for Public Land
Parks for People-LA
The Los Angeles River Center
570 West Avenue 26, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Office 323-223-0441
Fax 323-223-2978
Cell 310-909-3891
www.tpl.org/pfp-la

Sundance Channel launches GREEN TV channel

With Sundance Channel GREEN, Sundance Channel becomes the first television network in the United States to establish a significant, regularly-scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment.

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, shorts and original programs, all unedited and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture of NBC Universal, Showtime Networks Inc. and Robert Redford. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression.

Testing for Lead in plumbing and water

Lead in Water

To protect children, parents should ask their health care providers about testing children for high levels of lead in the blood. Homeowners may contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) for information on how to find professionals to test houses for lead. Tenants can also consult with their landlords regarding testing pre-1978 residences when there are signs of deteriorating lead-based paint.

Lead is commonly used in household plumbing materials and water service lines. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, joints, and solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally "lead-free" plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. This can leach significant amounts of lead into the water for the first several months after their installation. Read more about lead contamination in drinking water.

UC Davis News

UC Davis agricultural news

Topics:

Agriculture
Business/Government/Law
Campus news
Engineering
Health
Science news
Social Sciences/Arts/Humanities
Veterinary Medicine

California Climate Activities ... and Who's Doing What

SCAG page 54

Who's doing what in California about climate change?

California Environmental Protection Agency (CAL-EPA)
- Coordinate state agencies taking action to reduce greenhosue gas emissions

California Air Resources Board (CARB)
- Motor vehicle regulations to reduce emissions from new vehicles by 30%

California Energy Commission
- building and appliance energy efficiency
- transportation fuel programs
- measures California's greenhouse gas inventory
- variety of energy efficiency programs

California Public Utilities Commission
- coordinate energy efficiency programs
- regulate energy utility companies
- evaluate competitive bids to supply energy

OTHER STATE AGENCIES INVOLVED:
California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
Department of Food and Agriculture
Department of Forestry, Resources Agency
Department of Water Resources
Integrated Waste Management Board
State and Consumer Services

PUBLIC and PRIVATE PLAYERS:
California climate Action Registry
Sustainable Silicon Valley
California cities
California companies

Climate Change impacts on Southern California

SCAG, page 52

NOTE: The cause of climate change: Fossil fuel combustion accounts for 98 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Read more...

Water Supply
One area of considerable concern is the effect of climate change on California's water supply. The snow accumulation in the Sierra Nevada mountains preserves much of Califoria's water supply in "cold storage' for the hot, dry summer.

If winter temperatures are warmer, more precipitation will fall as rain, decreasing the size of the snowpack -- which is a natural water storage system.

Heavier rainfall in winter could bring increased flooding.

Less spring runoff will reduce the amount of water available for hydroelectric power production and agricultural irrigation.

This impact already exists!

Air Impact

Higher temperatures also cause an increase in harmful air emissions -- more fuel evaporates, engines work harder, and demands for electric power increase along with an increase in power plant air pollution.

Air pollution is also made worse by increases in natural hydrocarbon emissions from vegetation during hot weather.

High temperatures, strong sunlight and a stable air mass are ideal for formation of ground-level ozone, the most health-damaging constituent of smog. As temperature rises and air quality diminishes, heat related health problems also increase.

THE USA has the highest emissions of greenhosue gases of any nation on Earth.

In California, more than half of the fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide are related in some way to transportation.

Fossil fuel combustion accounts for 98 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

California's solutions need to start NOW:

- Reduce traffic congestion
- Reduce critical air pollutants
- Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from mobile sources.

To learn more about greenhouse gases and climate change, go to www.arb.ca.gov

WATER - Regional SCAG plan

SCAG page 41

The following recommendations are being considered by SCAG regarding water resources:

* Waterwise land use and local policies
* Integration of water management planning within the region
* Water conservation and stewardship throughout the region
- Increased water conservation and water recycling
* Waterwise transportation planning withing the region
* Water supply reliability for the region with new storage facilities (both surface and groundwater)

Proposition 1B - 2007's $20 Billion for transporation projects

SCAG page 18

Big transportation changes are coming to SoCal based on the passage of Proposition 1B in November 2006. With $20 Billion now available for transportation projects, SCAG is looking at ways to spend some of that money in Southern California.

Concepts that are getting their attention include:

* Design-build and design-sequencing procurement to enable expedited project delivery
* Local ballot initiatives to fund local transportation projects with local sales tax measures
* Expanded use of public/private partnerships and other innovative financing mechanisms
*Provisions for transit oriented development "TOD" taht generate revenue and integrate housing planniing with transportation planning

SoCal CEQA and COMPASS -- SCAG strategies

SCAG REPORT page 16

The COMPASS Implementation Framework was approved by the Regional Council in 2004. It is a 2% Strategythat is guided by four key principles:

Mobility
Livability
Prosperity
Sustainability

The 2% Strategy is interdisciplinary and its ideas are incorporated throughout the transportation, housing, growth and land use, habitat and open space, and sustainability sections of SCAG's 2007 Legislative Program.

Tribal Governments in Southern California

SOURCE: Indian Country

Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations
Lynn Valbuena, chairman


14 federally-recognized tribal governments in the SCAG region that are members of the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN) include:

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Augustine Band of Mission Indians
Cabazon Band of Missio Indians
Cahuilla Band of Indians
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
Ramona Band of Mission Indians
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Santa Rosa Band of Mission Indians
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla
Twenty-NinePalms band of Mission Indians

TASIN's mission is to protect and promote tribal sovereign goverment rights, cultural identity and interests of federally recognized tribes located throughout the State of California.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOCAL

Up and down the state of California, tribes are also developing non-gaming related businesses that also have a positive economic impact for surrounding communities.

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has built its own state-of-the-art water-bottling facility for its newly launched Big Bear Mountain Premium Spring Water

The Santa Rosa Band of Mission Indians has a telecommunications site on its reservation.

The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians has a tire reclamation facility. Used tires are recycled for other uses such as certain types of construction projects, fuel for pulp and paper mills, fuel for cement kilns, chips for septic tank liners and landfill liners, and disposal.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs owns and operates its own tribal bank, offering financial services to its tribal members, other tribal nations and the general public as well.

Indian casinos have been an economic boost to the Coachella Valley as agricultural businesses were lagging.

According to the California Gambling Control Commission, 45 of California’s 109 federally recognized tribes now operate casinos, although the state has entered into gaming compacts with 62 tribes. Some California tribes that have compacts but no casinos are planning to open such facilities, but many of the tribes that do not already have casinos are unlikely to establish gaming facilities, due to the small size and remote location of their Indian lands.

SoCal Habitat and Open Space - SCAG responsibilities

SCAG page 21

SCAG has as one of its principles the promotion of market-based solutions to protecting our natural habitat, open space, and ecologically important lands and waters in the region.

It promotes the concept of conservation easements that have successfully protcted wildlife hatibat and open space and generates significant public benefits.

Conservation easements are voluntary, legally binding agreements that limit certain types of uses or development from taking place on property while protecting the property's ecological or open-space values.

SCAG needs: to create market-based, incentive approaches to habitat management at the urban-rural interface, such as easement rights acquisition.

SoCal Waste Management - SCAG responsibilities

SCAG page 21

Conversion Technologies (CTs) are technologies that convert post recycled solid waste into useful products. They are in wide use in Europe and Japan, and of increasing interest in North America.

In 2003, California disposed of approximately 47% of waste diverted from landfills.

Of the waste disposed in landfills, approximately 80% was organic material (paper, wood, green waste, food waste, etc).

Organic materials have the potential to be converted into nergy or other industrial products, which would present a long-term benefit for energy supply.

So Cal Water - SCAG responsibilities

SCAG page 20

With its increaing population, maintaining an adequate supply of clean water is a major challenge facing the SCAG region. As part of its responsibilities SCAG will continue to plan for an ample, clean water supply.

Actions and advocacy will include:

* legislation and government actions that encourage comprehensive planning and implementation of water quality and supply measures such as:
- storm-water management
- non-point source pollution control
- total maximum daily toads (TMDLs) achievement

So Cal Air Quality - SCAG responsiblities

Source: SCAG, page 18


AIR QUALITY

Over one-third of the air pollutants we breathe come from transportation sourcs. The rapidly worsening traffic congestion in the SCAG region poses ongoing air qualty challenges and health threats to the public -- particularly to children, the elederly and other at-risk groups.

SCAG is responsible for ensuring that transportation plans and programs are consistent with air quality goals as required by state and federal rules, a process known as "transportation conformity determination." SCAG must ensure that transportation activities do not worsen air quality nor interfere with the purpose of the State's Implementation Plans (SIPs). To meet this charge, SCAG develops emission reduction strategies for transportation planning.

To help us meet our responsiblities for qir quality conformity we need:

* Community impact and air quality mitigation prorams for goods movement projects
* Air quality program incentives to accelerate fleet turn-over to reduce regional emissions...
* Programs that create incentives for cost-effective, market-based approaches that promote good air-qualty by encouraging pedestrian/bike-friendly redevelopment projects...
*Regulatory action to reduce mobile source emissions...

SCAG - SoCal region stats

Southern California Association of Governments is a regional planning organization covering the following interdependent community:

6 counties
187 cities
14 subregions
38,000 square miles
18 million residents and growing

If the SCAG region was a country, it would have the world's 10th largest economy.

This region is the largest region in population and size in the United States. It is also the most socially, culturally and economically diverse region in the world. By the year 2030, over five million additional residents will live in the region.

the population in the region is larger than 47 states. Its massive trade infrastructure is the global gateway that serves and feeds the conomy for the US. Over 40 percent of the US container imports and 25 percent of the US container exports pass through the region. Goods movement through our seaports and airports is expected to triple in the next twenty years.

The region's size and diversity bring challnges that cross city, county and state borders:

Our transportation network is constantly struggling to keep up with the ever-rowing demand.

Air pollution generated in one community can impact residents that live 100 miles away.

Housing is falling far short of growing demand, which makes housing even less affordable andavailable.

Land use decisions made in one city can have traffic, environmental and economic impacts on other communities and the region as a whole.

Socal Goods Movement -- Global Gateway

Global Gateway Issues:

The Southern California Association of Governments reports the following:

The SCAG region hosts the majority of the nation's traffic for freight movement by sea, air, land and rail. Our goods movement system provides global competitiveness for the region, the state and the nation, but it gives us a disproportionate share of the burdens of serving as the nation's global gateway.

Our primary challenges are meeting the financial and infrastructure demands of an overburdened transportation systtem for the movement of goods that pass through Southern California while maintaining the health of our residents and the livability of our communities.

Local sales tax levied on our residents (not on foreign goods) is paying for congestion relief. Goods movement infrastructure funding relies heavily onnon-federal resources with 70 percent of Southern California's transportation revenues coming from local taxes. However, each dollar invested yields approximately $4.44 in regional, state and national benefits.

The greatest obstacle in meeting the region's goods movement needs are environmental and community impacts.