Governor urged: Hold Caltrans accountable to California’s Climate Action Plan

Recent developments at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) threaten California’s reputation as a leader in fighting climate change, including through disregard for the state’s Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI). Representatives from sixty climate, transportation, and environmental justice advocacy organizations sent a letter today (full text below) to Governor Gavin Newsom, urging him to hold Caltrans accountable.

Bicycling Monterey is among those signatories because Caltrans’ implementation of CAPTI has been marked by continued expansions of highways and interchanges, neglect of its own guidance for reducing vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions, and repeated efforts to dilute its Complete Streets policy.

The letter requests that the Governor take swift and decisive actions, including that he:

• Initiate a comprehensive external audit of Caltrans’ alleged misuse of State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) funds for roadway capacity expansion projects.
• Appoint an independent third party to investigate the extent to which the practices alleged by Caltrans Deputy Director Jeanie Ward-Waller are being employed throughout Caltrans and its districts to circumvent state environmental law and SHOPP rules.
• Order a moratorium on highway and interchange expansions until these investigations are concluded.

Scroll the image below to read the full text of the October 17, 2023 letter to the Governor re: holding Caltrans accountable to his climate vision. For clearer viewing, click the PDF button below the image.

Signatories to the letter include representatives of the following organizations:

• 350 Bay Area 
• 350 Sacramento 
• 350 San Diego
• Active San Gabriel Valley 
• Asian Pacific Environmental Network 
• Bicycling Monterey 
• Bike San Diego 
• California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike)
• California Environmental Voters
• California Green New Deal Coalition 
• California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) 
• California Walks 
• Campaign for Sustainable Transportation 
• Car-Lite Long Beach 
• Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice 
• Central California Asthma Collaborative
• Claremont Streets for People 
• Climate Action Campaign 
• Climate Equity Policy Center 
• Climate Resolve 
• ClimatePlan
• Coalition for Clean Air 
• Environment California 
• Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) 
• Evergreen Action 
• Greenlining Institute 
• Human Impact Partners 
• Inland Empire Biking Alliance 
• Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability 
• Marin County Bicycle Coalition 
• MoveLA
• Natural Resources Defense Council 
• Nature for All 
• NextGen California 
• Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition 
• Planning and Conservation League 
• Rails to Trails Conservancy 
• Regional Asthma Management & Prevention (RAMP)
• Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates
• Sacramento Climate Coalition 
• Sacramento Environmental Justice Coalition 
• Safe Routes Partnership 
• Seamless Bay Area 
• Sierra Club California 
• Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition 
• Sonoma County & Land-Use Coalition
• South Pas Active Streets 
• Streets For All
• Sunrise Movement Long Beach 
• Sunrise Movement Los Angeles 
• Sunrise Movement Sacramento 
• Sunrise Movement San Diego 
• Sustainable Claremont 
• Third Act Sacramento 
• Traffic Violence Rapid Response 
• Transbay Coalition 
• TransForm
• United Latinos 
• Urban Environmentalists 
• Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles