Washington Weekly Report for March 31

The March 31st edition of the Washington Weekly Report includes a update on the:
Affordable Care Act – Next Steps, Congressional Review Act Update, Sanctuary Cities, Climate Change Executive Order, and Upcoming Committee Meetings.

Dibs. It’s all about Smart Travel…your way!

The Commute Connection program of the San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced County transportation planning agencies announced today that Commute Connection, a program to encourage people to find new ways to travel around or commute to work, has relaunched as Dibs.

Increased Taxes to Fix CA Roads: Update on SB1

Yesterday, the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the President pro Tem of the Senate announced a consensus transportation-funding package. 

Scoping Meeting Scheduled for Program EIR

A public scoping meeting is scheduled for TODAY at 4:00 p.m. to take public comment regarding the scope and content of the environmental analysis to be included in the Program EIR for the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan.

The Trump Administration’s Budget Blueprint: The Regional Impact

Yesterday, President Trump unveiled his first federal budget blueprint, which calls upon Congress to make dramatic changes to the shape, if not the size, of the federal government. The plan calls for deep cuts at some departments and agencies while significantly increasing funding at others.

San Joaquin Valley Policy Conference: Post Conference Update

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SJCOG staff attended the 12th Annual San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Conference last week in Fresno, California. Topics addressed during the two-day conference included:

• Megaregions, as woven together by commute patterns;
• Improving the flow of goods in the San Joaquin valley;
• Planning for health communities;
• Road conditions and the cost to maintain the California transportation system;
• Proposed 2030 Target Scoping Plan, a roadmap for achieving California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals;
• Autonomous vehicles and their implications for future policy;
• Climate change investments for community development; and
• Creating long term environmental and economic sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley through the San Joaquin Valley Greenprint.

Mini-Grant Program focuses outreach in historically underrepresented communities

At their February meeting, the SJCOG Board approved mini-grant funding for six organizations to assist the agency with RTP/SCS outreach in historically underserved and underrepresented communities throughout San Joaquin County.

The organizations represent a wide diversity of constituents across the region: 

SJCOG Board to hold workshop on Measure K Strategic Plan

The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), as the administrator of the Measure K half-cent sales tax program, has released the Draft 2017 Measure K Strategic Plan for public review. 

SJCOG seeks champions to reach residents across the region

The Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy is a plan that reflects a regional vision and is built by local input. This plan will shape priorities and how the region will invest in our transportation system, and consequently the daily experience of getting around by walking, biking, riding transit, carpooling, and/or driving alone. 

SJCOG Publishes Notice of Preparation for a Program EIR

SJCOG, as Lead Agency, has published a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (Program EIR) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which will include a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS).