The Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors in Orange, CA, has joined the Orange County Council of Governments in approving a local response to the state’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More than 40 public agencies and the community participated in creating the Orange County Sustainable Communities Strategy (OC SCS).

The OC SCS includes countywide transportation, land use, and sustainability strategies to help the region meet state-mandated emission reduction targets passed by the state legislature in 2008. That law, SB 375, calls for closer coordination of transportation and land-use planning.

“The strategy contains $40 billion in planned transportation improvements through 2035,” said OCTA Chair Patricia Bates, who also represents the Fifth District on the county board of supervisors. “The strategy is a multi-faceted approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that builds upon our efforts to support natural land restoration and protection, while at the same time providing necessary transportation improvements.”

Next, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) will incorporate the Orange County plan into a regional strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SCAG is responsible for developing an overall strategy for the region including Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Imperial counties.