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Environmental Justice and Social Equity Bay Plan Amendment

Rescheduled Hearing Concerning Proposed San Francisco Bay Plan Amendment No. 2-17 Concerning Amendment of Various Sections of the Bay Plan to Address Social Equity and Environmental Justice and to Add an Environmental Justice Section with New Findings and Policies

On July 20, 2017, BCDC unanimously initiated a process to amend the San Francisco Bay Plan to address environmental justice and social equity issues that arise in the normal course of BCDC’s work. This amendment process is now underway.

Notice of Revised Date of Public Hearing to November 15th, 2018

Background Report: Policies for a Rising Bay

Policies for a Rising Bay was developed from March 2015 to June 2016 to evaluate the Commission’s laws and policies in light of novel threats to the Bay presented by sea level rise and to determine whether changes are needed to help the region’s advancement of appropriate resilience and adaptation actions. The Commission staff organized a steering committee composed of over 30 stakeholders representing public, private, and non-governmental organizations to ensure a broad and collaborative review of the Commission’s laws, policies, and regulations. Working together with steering committee members and other interested parties, the Commission staff analyzed BCDC’s existing laws and policies through one-on-one interviews, case studies, and a series of meetings and discussions. This process resulted in the identification of four overarching policy issues, where BCDC’s policies were found to be inadequate regarding risks associated with rising sea level:

  1. Fill for Resilience and Adaptation - Habitat Restoration and Protection
  2. Fill for Resilience and Adaptation - Innovative Shoreline Solutions
  3. Environmental Justice and Social Equity
  4. Adaptive Management

See the report for the full policy analysis and list of policy options suggested.

Background Information: Public Workshops on Rising Sea Level

Beginning on January 21, 2016, BCDC conducted a series of Commission workshops on lessons learned from the San Francisco Bay Plan’s Climate Change amendments, BCDC’s role in regional planning, and making recommendations as the Bay Area adapts to rising sea level. These workshops identified potential changes to the Commission’s laws, policies, regulations and practices, and culminated in the Commission’s unanimous initiation of two Bay Plan amendments addressing Bay Fill for habitat projects and addressing social equity and environmental justice.

Public Hearings, Public Workshops and Meeting Materials

Project work plan