Greenhouse gas plan inadequate

In April of 2013, Superior Court judge Timothy Taylor, agreeing with the Sierra Club, ruled that San Diego County's climate action plan violated state law by not taking climate pollution sufficiently into account in its long-term transportation plan. Today (October 29), the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, upheld Taylor's decision.

Said the appeals court, "The Sierra Club alleged that instead of preparing a climate change action plan that included comprehensive and enforceable [greenhouse gas] emission reduction measures that would achieve [greenhouse gas] reductions by 2020, the County prepared a climate action plan as a plan-level document that expressly 'does not ensure reductions.'"

Judge Taylor ruled that the climate action plan did not contain enforceable greenhouse-gas reduction measures that would achieve the specified emissions reductions. Many environmentalists have long complained that the county relies excessively on highway traffic.

The county appealed, claiming the statute of limitations bars the claim that the mitigation measures are not enforceable, a supplemental environmental impact report was not required, and the county's plan met legal requirements. Today, the appellate court agreed with Judge Taylor's decision.

(corrected 10/30, 6:30 p.m.)