SB 375 in Contra Costa County: Smart Growth and Public Health Go Hand-in-Hand

Contra Costa County Officially Recognizes the Benefits of Walking, Biking, and Public Transportation

In a unanimous vote, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) recognized that transportation policies that "reduce greenhouse gases and increase mode share of walking, cycling, and transit" have important public health benefits. CCTA decided that it will weigh these public health benefits and the value of sustainable transit when implementing SB 375, California's new smart growth and climate change law.

This is a wonderful first step in the implementation of SB 375 in Contra Costa County.

Please Send a Thank You Email to Contra Costa Transportation Commissioners Thanking Them for Their Leadership in Making Health a Part of Transportation Planning!

Chair Robert "Bob" Taylor, Mayor of Brentwood: btaylor@ci.brentwood.ca.us

Vice Chair David Durant, Pleasant Hill City Councillor: ddurant@ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us

Susan Bonilla, Board of Supervisors District 4: Dist4@bos.cccounty.us

Jim Frazier, Vice Mayor of Oakley: jmfrzr@sbcglobal.net

Janet Abelson, Mayor of El Cerrito: jabelson@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Maria Viramontes, Richmond City Councillor: maria_viramontes@ci.richmond.ca.us

Newell Arnerich, Danville City Councillor: arnerich@ci.danville.ca.us

Federal Glover, Board of Supervisors District 5: dist5@bos.cccounty.us

Ed Balico, Hercules City Councillor: ebalico@ci.hercules.ca.us

Julie Pierce, Clayton City Councillor: Julie_Pierce@comcast.net

Mike Metcalf, Moraga City Councillor: mmetcalf@moraga.ca.us

Ex-Officio Members:

Amy Worth, representing MTC: aworth@cityoforinda.org

Bob Simmons, representing Public Transit Bus Operators: mayor@walnutcreek.org

Joel Keller, representing BART: honorjk@comcast.net

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Protect Public Health

Greenhouse gas emissions are a major threat to public health in Contra Costa County. Rising temperatures and worsening air quality can lead to wildfires, hospitalizations and premature deaths, asthma and allergy, heat waves, and difficult living conditions for vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, low income communities, and communities of color. According to California Breathing, nearly one in four children (23.7%) in Contra Costa County between the ages of 5-17 have been diagnosed with asthma. We can't afford for these statistics to get any worse.

How can we reduce GHG emissions in Contra Costa County? By reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through better public transit and by making it easier and safer to walk and bike to work, school, and shopping.

About SB 375 and Contra Cosa County

SB 375 will require regions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving transportation choices and how communities are designed so they require less driving. Learn more about SB 375.

In September, the Bay Area will be given emissions targets it will need to meet by 2020 and 2035. As part of the Bay Area region, Contra Costa County will play a role in developing a strategy for meeting this goal. The strategy, called the Sustainable Communities Strategy, will show how the County's landuse and transportation planning decisions will help the region meet the greenhouse gas emissions goal.