As air quality experts we often know the potential impact of a project long before it comes to fruition, but we don’t always have the ability to do something about it. Sometimes we lack funding or the appropriate legal hook or the on-the-ground manpower.
And then there are times, like this one, when we create a solution where none was otherwise available. CCA is proud to announce that a new residential development (Gunner Ranch West) in Madera County will now have to comply with a variety of air quality reduction measures, climate pollutant reduction measures and water efficiency practices. Specifically:
- Accommodate alternative fuels in homes and commercial buildings
- Comply with Building Energy Efficiency Standards
- Allow LED or solar powered traffic and street lights
- Distribute homeowner manuals on energy efficiency and water conservation
- Drought tolerant landscaping with reclaimed water
- Merchant builders must provide rear yard tolerant landscaping and drought tolerant plants
- Water efficient toilets and faucets
- Curbside recycling
- Commercial building and carport rooftop solar voltaic systems where commercially reasonable
- Use clean fleet equipment
- VOC architectural coatings
- Heavy trucks are prohibited (where possible) in residential neighborhoods during construction
- Anti-idling during construction
- Warm mix asphalt
These gains, which far surpass traditional CEQA mitigation measures, were secured through a pre-litigation settlement negotiated on CCA’s behalf by Amy Minteer and Michelle Black of Chatten-Brown & Carstens.
To support CCA’s creative approaches to air pollution mitigation click here!
