We'd like to congratulate the County of Sacramento and the City of Sacramento for taking 1st and 2nd place at the 2018 Green Fleet Awards! We're delighted that these two jurisdictions - both longtime CRC members - have received national recognition for their commitment to renewable diesel, electric vehicles, and other zero-emissions transportation solutions.

Also, it is not too late to register for one or all three days of the California Adaptation Forum next week, at which CRC members, as well as fellow collaborative members from across the state, will be sharing our work on panels and sessions. If you can't make it to the Forum itself, we invite you to join us at happy hour on Wednesday, August 29, at Cafeteria 15L, Sacramento, from 5 to 6.30pm.

Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty

With the frequency and intensity of heatwaves increasing, we need to urgently tackle the excess heat we face both inside and in our cities' outside spaces. Fortunately, there are many ways in which we can mitigate the urban heat island effect - while also creating more attractive places to live, work and play. In Singapore any new building is required to include greenery equivalent in area to its development site - which could be at ground level, on the roof or balconies, or vertically. The New York Cools Roofs initiative has seen more than 500,000m² of roof space covered in a white reflective coating, saving an estimated 2,282 MT of CO2 per year. ( Guardian)

The US EPA says its proposal to relax greenhouse gas limits on power plants will cause as many as1,630 additional premature deaths annually by 2030 from heart and lung disease -- an estimate independent experts say may be low. The projection is contained in a 289-page technical document accompanying the agency's proposal to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan that was released Tuesday. he agency also expects its rule change to result in as many as 96,000 more cases of exacerbated asthma in 2030, as well as 48,000 more lost work days, 140,000 more lost school days and 26,000 more cases of upper and lower respiratory symptoms. ( Bloomberg)

On excessively hot days, there are more likely to be fatal car accidents and food safety problems, and police officers and government food inspectors tend to do less of their duties, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Heat affects how well our brain and bodies function - and thus also how well we can do our jobs. Scientists found that there were fewer food safety inspections when it's hot, even as violations also increase with heat. The risk of fatal traffic accidents also increases with heat, while traffic stops decline. In short, the effort made by public safety workers and government regulators declines at the time of greatest risk. ( CNN)

Photo: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 15 million people in the United States have jobs that require them to be outdoors at some point, and rising temperatures are proving dangerous for them. At least 3 outdoor workers have already died on the job this year. For farmworkers, delivery personnel, and construction crews, high temperatures can also mean heat exhaustion and related maladies. Between 1992 and 2016, excessive heat killed 783 US workers and seriously injured 69,374, according to the BLS. Office workers will not be immune either. A 2014 study from the Rhodium Group found that the largest economic losses from climate change in the United States will come in the form of lost labor productivity. ( Vox)

At almost every step, human activity has exacerbated the risks, the damages, and the harms from fires. By 2050, 645,000 houses in California will be built in "very high" wildfire severity zones. A study published earlier this year in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, or PNAS, found that 84 percent of wildfires are ignited by humans, whether through downed power lines, careless campfires, or arson. ( Vox)

New research suggests that this year's hot summers may be the beginnings of a four-year global warm spell. From 2018 to 2022, natural variations may further strengthen the human-caused warming, meaning that global temperatures will be even warmer than with just long-term climate change alone. ( USA Today)

Climate change is gradually warming Lake Tahoe, clouding its clarity, and threatening its fabled "blueness," warned the annual State of the Lake Report, from UC Davis's Tahoe Environmental Research Center. Surface water temperatures in July 2017 spiked to an average 68.4 degrees, the highest since temperature taking began in 1968, and 6 degrees higher than the year before. Warming temperatures could reduce the lake's internal mixing of warm surface water with the cold, dense water at the bottom. This could in turn starve the bottom of the lake of oxygen, creating dead zones that would be harmful to aquatic life, and increase build-up of phosphorus and nitrogen, potentially leading to algal blooms. ( Link)

Photo: Grist / Jesse Nichols

E-bikes offer a middle way between car-centric transportation and the lycra-heavy machismo of urban cycling. For the more than 400 American cities who have signed a pledge of support for the Paris Climate Agreement's goals, bikes and e-bikes offer a better way to keep urban traffic moving at a lower carbon cost. And if the partnership between municipality and startup pays off, bike shares might redraw the urban planning of those cities. ( Grist)

Originally a project of Valley Vision, the Business Resilience Initiative (BRI) program helped communities in the Sacramento region better prepare for, withstand, and recover from disasters such as catastrophic wildfire and flooding. In 2018, Valley Vision and the Sierra Business Council expanded the program to rural communities specifically identified for their high wildfire risk in the Sierra Nevada, and with the support of a PG&E Emergency Preparedness Grant, hosted disaster preparedness workshops in Grass Valley and Sonora.

Small businesses in rural communities play a critical role in the health of surrounding forests and community well-being. They form the foundation of community economic sustainability and generate the primary source of income and financial prosperity for local families and residents, yet small businesses are among the most vulnerable to disasters. This project provides the information, resources and methodology to prepare these businesses, as well help each business initiate a customized resiliency / disaster recovery plan.

Read more here about the workshops, the disaster preparedness toolkit developed by Valley Vision, and a customized emergency bucket list for businesses.

This 400-page guide, created by the Public Health Institute and the American Public Health Association, helps local health departments prepare for and mitigate climate change effects with concrete, implementable suggestions. The guide prioritizes health equity and targets solutions first to the communities where they are most needed; connects climate impacts and solutions with the work of local health departments; and offers specific examples of how local health departments can address climate impacts in every area of public health practice. ( PHI)

CCHVIz ("chi-viz") is the new interactive data visualization platform for the Climate Change & Health Vulnerability Indicators for California, a suite of indicators of climate exposure, population sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change. CCHVIz can help stakeholders better understand the people and places that are more susceptible to adverse health impacts associated with climate change. Local and state programs can utilize CCHVIz for climate adaptation planning and meeting the needs of the communities most at risk. ( Link)

The Transformative Climate Communities program empowers the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to enact transformational change - all with data-driven milestones and measurable outcomes. The $46 million implementation grants category is only open to eligible cities, including Sacramento. The planning grant category will award $800,000 to 4 cities. The Final Round II Guidelines and the Notice of Funding Availability can be found on SGC's website. There will be webinars on the implementation ( August 28) and planning ( August 29) grants. Deadline: 5pm, October 30, 2018. ( SGC)

There is a severe human and fiscal cost of homelessness. In response, there's a new infusion of funding in California - approximately $750 million in three new programs - to help cities and counties address the needs of more than 130,000 men, women, and children who do not have a permanent and safe place to call home. These new programs include Homeless Emergency Aid Program ($500 million), No Place Like Home Program ($190 million), and the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program ($53 million). The California Department of Housing and Community Development will be holding workshops and a webinar related to the NPLH Program in late August and Early September.

Caltrans is seeking public and stakeholder input on the Final Draft Grand Application Guides for the SB1 Sustainable Communities and Adaptation Planning Grants. There will be a final opportunity to provide feedback during a Sept. 25 public workshop in Sacramento. ( Link)

The Green Region program is aimed at helping our region's transportation system emit fewer emissions while continuing to function effectively and efficiently. The program focuses on five groups of projects: personal vehicles, shared rides and vehicles, public and private microtransit and shuttles, medium and heavy duty fleets, and disadvantaged communities. Deadline: August 24, 4pm. In addition, the Transportation Demand Management Innovations Grant and Traditional Grant program has $750,000 and $250,000, respectively, available ( Link)

The California Air Resources Board is now accepting research concepts from the general public on topics including health and environmental justice, air quality, climate and cross-cutting research initiatives. Concepts are due by August 24 at 5pm. ( Link)

California Fire Safe Council will be re-opening the 2018 Fire Prevention Grants Program for $5.45 million in funding for fire prevention education, planning and hazardous fuels reduction projects. The 30-day extension will encourage applicants to utilize CAL FIRE's 2018 California Climate Investments Fire Prevention grants to meet the match requirement, but all eligible organizations are encouraged to apply. Application re-opened from August 1-30, 2018. ( Link)

Proposals are being accepted for Symposia, Training Sessions, Working Groups, Oral Presentations, Posters, and the Tools Cafe. Submissions should reflect the best thinking in the adaptation field, informed by theory, research and practice on subjects related to identified focal topics and cross-cutting themes. Deadline has been extended to September 4, 2018. ( Link)

This program provides grants to acquire and/or develop public lands for outdoor recreation purposes consistent with the purposes of the LWCF, but with the further specific goals of funding projects that are located within or serve jurisdictions delineated by the Census Bureau as urbanized areas, and are in or directly accessible to neighborhoods or communities that are underserved in terms of parks and recreation resources, and where there are significant populations of people who are economically disadvantaged. Deadline: September 14. ( Link)

To guide the investment of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds, the Department of Finance, in consultation with the Air Resources Board and other State agencies, is required to submit an Investment Plan to the Legislature every three years. The Investment Plan is required to identify near-term and long-term GHG emission reduction goals and targets, analyze gaps in current State funding for meeting these goals, and identify priority investments that facilitate GHG emission reductions while realizing additional health, economic, and environmental benefits. A public workshop will be webcast on Sept. 4, 6 to 8pm. Public comments are due Sept 14, 5pm. ( Link)

Communities can apply for up to $10 million in grants from the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program. These programs provide funding for the development of local hazard mitigation plans and implementation of hazard mitigation projects, including flood mitigation specifically. To apply, communities must submit Notices of Interest to Cal OES by September 24, 2018. ( Link)

The California Natural Resources Agency will be accepting concept proposals for the California River Parkways grant program. Awards in the approximate amount of $7 million will be funded by Proposition 68 for purposes of the California River Parkways Act of 2004. Technical Assistance Workshops will be held in Sacramento on August 14. Deadline: September 27. ( Link)

The Campus RainWorks Challenge is a green infrastructure design competition open to colleges and universities across the country. The challenge seeks to engage with students to foster a dialogue about stormwater management and showcase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure practices. Registration is from September 1-30. ( Link)

SACOG will award mini-grants of up to $3,000 per project in support of small events and non-infrastructure programs or projects that encourage biking, walking, riding transit, carpooling, vanpooling and teleworking, as options for reducing car trips and vehicles miles traveled. Projects that focus on testing a new strategy or tactic for changing travel behavior will be prioritized. Applications considered on a rolling basis until $30,000 has been awarded for each of two application phases. The second phase is open July 15 through December 31, 2018. ( Link)

This program helps eligible rural and tribal communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Applications accepted continuously. ( Link)

In the lead up to the Global Climate Action Summit taking place in San Francisco from September 12-14, local leaders are being invited to step up their climate action. Communities around the world are already taking ambitious action to make the Paris Agreement a reality. The Global Climate Action Summit provides a chance for local governments to showcase the progress they've made and to step up ambition with bold new actions.

Find out more about how you can participate in the summit from C40 Cities and Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy here.

Even as many urban cores and downtown neighborhoods attract new residents, the suburban housing market is evolving rapidly. Suburbs continue to be well-positioned to maintain their relevance into the foreseeable future as preferred places to live and work. A report by ULI, Housing in the Evolving American Suburb, talks about key issues that will shape suburban residential demand and development in the years ahead. This session will examine the Sacramento suburban story and the challenges of providing housing, whether market rate or affordable. ( Link)

The Financial Institution Partnership Opportunity (FIPO), now in its second year, has brought together 10 banks from across the region to combine funds, align priorities, and maximize impact by concentrating support around a single community initiative. Local community-based organizations have the chance to present a ready-made project and compete for this funding opportunity. Join the Sacramento FIPO Forum to learn about this opportunity and hear from past FIPO awardees about how to craft a successful application. ( Register)

Join the Local Government Commission and the State of California at the 3rd California Adaptation Forum taking place August 27-29 in Sacramento. The Forum gathers a multidisciplinary audience of 600+ climate leaders to foster knowledge exchange, innovation, and mutual support to transition from adaptation awareness to planning and action through a series of engaging plenaries, sessions, workshops, networking activities, and more. ( Link)

SMUD and FleetCarma will introduce a free pilot program to help SMUD business customers determine if a battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle would be a good fit in their light-duty vehicle fleet. Program participants will have a free data logger installed on a gasoline or diesel fleet vehicle. The data collected will be used to develop a suitability assessment that includes a total cost of ownership analysis for an EV compared to a similar gas or diesel vehicle, including fuel and GHG savings. ( Register)

Climate change has been called the greatest 21st century threat to public health. Health departments from around the country are engaging communities and professionals from other disciplines to implement adaptation strategies and increase community resiliency. Speakers from the CDC's Climate-Ready States & Cities Initiative will highlight how state health departments are building climate resiliency by leading with health in adaptation strategies. ( Register)

Thousands of rallies will be held in cities and towns around the world on September 8 to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil free world that works for all of us. Join us as we hold our local leaders to account and demand that they walk the talk on climate action. ( Link)

A major ecological--turned mental health--turned social--turned humanitarian crisis is underway that has yet to be fully acknowledged or addressed: the harmful impacts of climate change on personal mental health and psycho-social-spiritual well-being. This webinar series will explain these dynamics and how building widespread capacity for Transformational Resilience locally and globally can help minimize these harmful reactions and spur shifts thinking, behaviors, and policies that actually increase individual, social, and ecological wellbeing. Webinars will cover the Resilient Growth model, organizational resilience, and community resilience. ( Link)

Hosted by UC Davis and the California Department of Conservation, this symposium will focus on innovative strategies and actions that have the greatest promise to promote agricultural resiliency, food security, and health, with a long-term view to sustaining ecosystem and agricultural services as well as population and planetary health outcomes. The event is affiliated with the Global Climate Action Summit (September 12-14) in San Francisco. ( Link)

UC Davis will host four official affiliate sessions on Tuesday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 12 to bring together GCAS attendees around key topics related to climate resilience, energy, transportation, and public policy: topics that would benefit from increased collaboration and in which UC Davis has demonstrated leadership and expertise. UC Davis will also host an evening reception on Tuesday, September 11, open to all session attendees. ( Link)

Part 2 of the Cool Fixes for Hot Cities webcast series will cover Los Angeles' cool streets pilot project and other heat island reduction measures. The innovative pilot is in progress on 15 blocks throughout the city and is already generating benefits and lessons learned. Learn more about the pilot, the benefits of cool pavements, and LA's plans to reduce temperatures citywide. ( Register)

We will hear from regional transportation experts about the effects that SB-1 (the "gas tax") has had on transportation projects in the Sacramento region. ( Register)

The International Transformational Resilience Coalition is offering an intensive Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Transformational Resilience for climate change-aggravated traumas and toxic stresses workshop. Attendance is by application only for a maximum of 20 people who want to learn how to apply knowledge, skills, and tools at the individual, organizational, and community levels to prevent and heal psychological and psycho-social-spiritual impacts resulting from the disasters and extreme stresses generated by rising global temperatures. ( Apply Now)

The CRC is a program of the Local Government Commission.