Environmental Justice Subcommittee

Summary: Fresno COG is in the process of developing its 2026 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). As a federal Metropolitan Planning Organization, Fresno COG is tasked with the role of developing a comprehensive Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and as a state Regional Transportation Planning Agency, Fresno COG also develops a Sustainable Communities Strategy.

An RTP sets out regional goals, identifies present and future needs, deficiencies and constraints in the transportation network, analyzes potential solutions, estimates available funding, and proposes investments. The RTP helps prepare for and address greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, vehicle miles traveled, air quality, and sustainable future growth for the region. The RTP is comprised of various “elements,” such as, Policy, Sustainable Communities Strategy, Action, Financial, Public Participation, and the Environmental Justice Report.

The RTP involves a RTP Roundtable that oversees the RTP process. The EJ Subcommittee is a subcommittee of the Roundtable and oversees the Environmental Justice element. The Environmental Justice Report includes the environmental justice analysis, which will identify the distribution of benefits and burdens of the proposed strategies and transportation projects for Fresno County communities. The EJ Subcommittee provides input on the EJ definition and criteria for identifying EJ communities, as well as the EJ indicator utilized in the Sustainable Communities Strategy.

The Sustainable Communities Strategy stems from SB 375, which encourages coordinated transportation and land-use planning to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet GHG reduction targets and regional housing needs projections and improve quality of life. SB 375 created the new Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) Element for RTPs. The SCS consists of different scenarios that utilize various indicators with differing prioritization to estimate a broad set of land use, transportation, health, and environmental impacts across scenarios.

The overall goal of the RTP/SCS is develop equitable and sustainable transportation and land use investment goals, policies, and projects that meet GHG, clean air, climate and equity goals and that will guide local jurisdictions in their future planning and implementation projects.

The 2022 RTP can be access here: https://www.planfresno.com/sustainable-communities-strategies-fall-outreach/

A short video on the overview of the RTP can be viewed here: https://video214.com/play/TXhXSKUrXYbHmH6SCovoxw/s/dark

Action: Information/Discussion.

Summary: On July 10, staff presented the proposed definition and criteria for defining environmental justice communities, which will be utilized in the Environmental Justice Analysis.

Staff proposed two definitions: Equity Priority Communities and Disadvantaged Communities (SB 535). Equity Priority Communities proposes utilizing the metrics: percent of non-while and/or Hispanic resident population, percent of households with income <200% Federal Poverty Level, percent of Limited English-speaking households, and percent of households paying more than 30% of their income towards housing costs. The Disadvantaged Communities proposes utilizing the SB 535 Disadvantaged communities map, which includes environmental, health, pollution, and socio-economic indicators. Both definitions will be defined as Environmental Justice Communities. Following the review period by the EJ Subcommittee between July and August, staff recommends approval for the definitions.

Action: Staff recommends the Environmental Justice Subcommittee approve and recommend the Regional Transportation Plan Roundtable approve the Equity Priority Communities and Disadvantaged Communities definition.