RulesCommunications Highlights 2010 0622

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RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF , SUPPORTING THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD'S LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES. IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the City Council (the "Council") of the City of (the "City"), State of California that WHEREAS, California is experiencing a public health crisis due to poor air quality, with over 90% of Californians living in areas that exceed federal health -based ozone standards; and exposure to elevated levels of ozone and other pollutants such as particulate matter annually contributes to hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and premature deaths due to heart and lung disease; and recent research conducted by the RAND Corporation found that hospital care related to elevated pollution levels in California cost nearly $200 million from 2005 to 2007; WHEREAS, higher temperatures resulting from global warming can create conditions that are ideal for the formation of ground -level ozone, a pollutant that causes severe adverse health impacts, including asthma attacks, hospitalizations and even premature deaths; and without significant actions the State of California faces billions of dollars in public health damages; and WHEREAS, California is expected to face more intense heat waves, more frequent droughts, flooding, agricultural losses, greater energy demand and the potential loss of trillions of dollars in real estate due to sea level rise, increased wildfires and rising temperatures associated with global warming; and WHEREAS, California depends on petroleum for 97 percent of its transportation needs; and motor vehicles are significant emitters of ozone precursors, particulates and air toxics, and the single largest anthropogenic source of global warming causing greenhouse gas emissions in California; and WHEREAS, California's Clean Cars (AB 1493: Pavley, 2002), Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) programs reduce petroleum consumption, support new jobs and investments in California's emerging green economy and spur innovation in low and zero emission vehicles; and WHEREAS, the California Legislature enacted Senate Bill 375 (SB 375: Steinberg, 2008) to encourage integrated land use and transportation planning that supports air quality and public health goals and emphasizes reductions in vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions by promoting alternatives to driving, such as practical walking, biking and mass transit options; and WHEREAS, California's history of national leadership is critical to protecting public health, creating a new green economy and spurring action on global warming pollution nationally; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the City of supports the State of California and the California Air Resources Board in its efforts to reduce criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles while also advancing public health, air quality, the environment and the green economy in California; and further be it RESOLVED, that the City of encourages the State of California and the California Air Resources Board to establish ambitious regional greenhouse gas reduction targets as envisioned by SB 375 and to work with local governments to incentivize integrated land use and transportation planning that supports air quality and public health goals and emphasizes reductions in vehicle miles traveled