CURRENT PROJECTS

Climate Action Plan Update and Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR):
On September 30, 2020, the Board of Supervisors voted to set aside its approval of the County’s 2018 Climate Action Plan (2018 CAP) and related actions because the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) was found to be out of compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In response to this Board action, staff are preparing a CAP Update to revise the 2018 CAP and correct the items identified by the Court within the Final SEIR that were not compliant. A Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (Supplemental EIR) will be prepared for the CAP Update project. Project details can be found here.

2022 Climate Action Progress Annual Report:
The CAP team released the 2022 Climate Action Progress Annual Report in August 2023. The report includes 2018 CAP implementation highlights and greenhouse gas reductions metrics that contribute towards the County’s 2030 emissions reduction target. In 2022, the County reduced 228,213 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of GHG emissions. A copy of the Report can be found here.

San Diego County Native Landscape Program:
The San Diego County Native Landscape Program is under development to increase the use of native plants in landscaping across the region. The Program aims to achieve a range of benefits including biodiversity and habitat preservation, increased drought tolerance, local market development, among others. Additional Program information is available here.

Sustainable Operations in Land Stewardship Program:
The County of San Diego Planning & Development Services is developing the Sustainable Operations in Land Stewardship Program (SOILS Program) to incentivize natural and working land practices that will help avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the unincorporated county.  The SOILS Program, through stakeholder input and best practice research, will identify how the County can best support local land managers, ranchers, and agricultural producers in implementing different climate smart land practices. On September 11, 2024, the Board of Supervisors adopted the 2024 Climate Action Plan which includes the development of the SOILS Program (formerly known as the Pilot Carbon Farming Program). 

Equity-Driven Tree Planting Program:
Staff are developing a program to identify priority sites for tree planting in unincorporated communities, with a focus on underserved areas, to reduce urban heat island effect, increase resiliency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SALC 2.0
The SALC 2.0 project aims to support existing and emerging farmers through timely market research and, in doing so, curb the premature conversion of agricultural lands. The project will also serve to inform local agencies’ decision-making to further aid, preserve, and maximize the vital contributions – economic, environmental, and public health benefits – that small-scale farms offer the region.

RELATED PROGRAMS

Electric Vehicle (EV) Roadmap Program:
Staff are currently implementing the EV Roadmap, which was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on October 16, 2019. The EV Roadmap contains 6 goals and 11 recommendations to move the County toward a more sustainable future by purchasing new EVs for the County fleet, installing charging infrastructure for public use at County facilities and in other priority locations throughout the unincorporated area, and more. Learn more about the program’s implementation efforts here.

Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program – La Presa and Spring Valley Community Transportation Needs Assessment:
In 2021, staff conducted a community transportation needs assessment in the La Presa neighborhood of the Spring Valley community. This effort included working directly with community members to learn about challenges they experience traveling throughout their community. The needs assessment identified potential clean mobility solutions that can make getting around the community easier while also providing environmental benefits such as improving local air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additional information can be found here.