Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Transit-Oriented Talk
BART is hosting two webinars on August 21 and September 5 to explain how it’s implementing Assembly Bill 2923 (Chiu) and advancing housing creation. Signed into law last year, AB 2923 laid out BART’s role in creating transit-oriented development (TOD) on agency-owned land near stations in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties. After the webinar, the transit agency wants public input about its 10-year TOD work plan, parking replacement policy, and anti-displacement strategy, among other plans. For more background, check out a 2018 Monitor article that discusses parking and other community challenges transit agencies face in TOD creation. Submit TOD comments via email before September 13 to Monet Boyd at [email protected].
Collecting Water Comments
The Bureau of Reclamation and Valley Water want input about the San Luis Low Point Improvement Project. It’s intended to curb water delivery interruptions and has proposals to maintain Santa Clara County’s water supply. A big issue the agencies discuss is a “low point” problem that occurs when San Luis Reservoir falls below 300,000 acre-feet in the summer and late fall, a level that promotes algae growth and makes water unsuitable. A draft environmental impact report from July lists several alternatives to contain the problem and boost reliable supply. This includes a new dam and reservoir on Pacheco Creek. Click here for project details and to view contact information for submitting comments. The EIR is lengthy but you can tread into a San Jose Mercury News article for a useful introduction to the issues.
Pack a Go-Bag
The League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley is hosting a meeting Tuesday, August 20 at 6:30 p.m. in Walnut Creek to help residents prepare for the ever-present threat of wildfire. Hear about the latest public safety efforts from the Contra Costa County Fire District and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The emphasis is on learning what’s necessary to have in order to be ready: “go-bags,” evacuation plans, and contingencies for reaching friends and family when electricity is out.
Carbon Concealer
A new study casts oft-touted “green” electric scooters in a new light, showing hidden environmental consequences. Using a life-cycle assessment, North Carolina State University researchers said two factors contribute to a scooter’s carbon footprint: other vehicles are necessary to collect and redistribute the two-wheelers, and emissions that are generated to produce the materials and components for each scooter. Read more about the study, including a surprising finding about when riding a bus is more environmentally friendly than hopping on a scooter.
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