Santa Barbara County Supervisors narrowly approved a major program to help clean up the environment in Santa Barbara County. It’s the County’s 2030 Climate Action Plan.
The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in unincorporated parts of the county by 50% of 2018 levels by 2030. It includes steps like promoting electric vehicle use, adding more charging stations, making new homes and buildings all electric, and planting trees and plans to help absorb carbon.
The price tag for the effort is estimated at $338 million dollars. About $200 million of it are costs incorporated into existing programs.
County Supervisors approved the plan on a 3-2 vote, with the no votes largely focused on the big price tag for the effort. The plan doesn’t include new regulations for pollution from oil and gas facilities, but leaves the door for them to be added down the road.
