The California Air Resources Board (CARB) invites you to participate in a virtual public workshop to learn more about and provide input on two ongoing processes at CARB:

2026 SB 375 Regional Target Update

SB 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008, requires each metropolitan planning organization (MPO) to prepare a sustainable communities strategy (SCS) as part of its regional transportation plan. The purpose of the SCS is to integrate land use and transportation planning to support the State’s climate goals. To help guide these regional planning efforts, CARB is required to establish regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2035 and to evaluate each SCS to determine whether the SCS, if implemented, would meet the targets.

Pursuant to SB 375, CARB last updated the GHG emission reduction targets in 2018 and is required to update them again no later than 2026. CARB staff intends this workshop to provide information to the public about the target update process and timeline as well as to receive input from the public about what factors to consider as it develops target recommendations for the CARB Board.

Updates to CARB’s Sustainable Communities Strategy Evaluation Process

Relatedly, CARB staff last updated the program guidelines (“Guidelines”), which set out expectations and CARB’s review process for SCSs, in 2019. Since the release of the 2019 Guidelines, most MPOs have completed their 3rd cycle of SCSs, and some MPOs have begun their 4th cycle. CARB staff held a workshop in January 2024 to discuss the existing Guidelines, communicate expectations for the upcoming 4th Cycle SCS, and discuss the process moving forward for updating the Guidelines. In this workshop, CARB staff will discuss and receive input from the public on proposed medium-term changes to the Guidelines.