January 14, 2021

Governor Newsom’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021-22 includes a discussion of the Administration’s ongoing work to implement Executive Order N-19-19 through the creation of the “Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure,” or “CAPTI.” While much of the description in the budget document will be familiar to counties, a new detail is the target date of July 15, 2021 for developing the plan.

CSAC has been engaged with the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) as it works to develop the CAPTI. Executive Order N-19-19, signed in September 2019, directed the Department of Finance, the Department of Transportation and the Department of General Services to take action to advance emissions reduction goals and incorporate climate resiliency strategies in several state programs, including pension investments, transportation programs, and state-owned facilities. The executive order is summarized in this bulletin article.

The CAPTI does not affect county formula funds allocated from SB 1’s road maintenance and rehabilitation account or the highway user tax account. Moreover, the use of state transportation funding raised through fuel excise taxes and the transportation improvement fee (TIF) is subject to the limitations of Article XIX of the California Constitution, as amended by Proposition 69 (2018). Namely, fuel excise tax revenues are limited to street, highway, and fixed transit guideway purposes, including essential components, such as sidewalks, traffic signals, etc.; while TIF revenues are limited to the aforementioned purposes and public transit operations.

Through the CAPTI, CalSTA plans to leverage the following state funding programs in efforts to meet state climate change mandates, targets, and policies through the levers identified in EO N-19-19:

• Active Transportation Program
• Interregional Transportation Improvement Program
• Local Partnerships Program
• Solutions for Congested Corridors
• State Highway Operations & Protection Program
• Trade Corridor Enhancement Program
• Transit & Intercity Rail Capital Program

As described in the Governor’s budget proposal, the CAPTI will:

• Build towards an integrated, statewide rail and transit network;
• Support bicycle, pedestrian, and micro-mobility options;
• Support the deployment of light, medium, and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle infrastructure; and
• Support innovative solutions to congestion designed to encourage people to shift from cars to other modes of transportation.

CalSTA has solicited feedback regarding the Action Plan from stakeholders via a survey, stakeholder meetings, and workshops. CalSTA Undersecretary Elissa Konove joined the CSAC Housing, Land Use and Transportation (HLT) Policy Committee meeting in December 2019 to have an initial discussion on the plan. The HLT Committee held a follow-up meeting with CalSTA representatives in August 2020 to discuss the status of the Executive Order’s implementation and to provide initial county feedback.

CSAC looks forward to reviewing the draft CAPTI once available. We will solicit additional county feedback to inform our comments at that time.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to CSAC staff with questions or concerns at mespinoza@counties.org.