Lawyer: Get in line

City officials were warned Jan. 6 that they better have a good excuse for not reducing greenhouse gases as mandated by state legislation.

As the lead agency responsible for the environmental impacts of projects, the City Council needs to make sure the city reduces its carbon footprint as required by the state, according to an attorney who deals with these issues. The consequences of not meeting the state goals could be dire, he said.

“AB 32 requires gas house emissions to roll back to 1990 levels by 2020 and be 80% less than 1990 levels by 2050,” said Paul Singarella, one of about 100 attorneys at work on global warming issues worldwide.

There are more people in California now than were here in 1990, and they are emitting more carbon, but the state mandate still must be met, he said.

“That’s staggering,” Singarella said. “The Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) bill is a truly precedent-setting document. It covers everything.

“Business as usual won’t cut it, but the cool thing is that in California we have a comprehensive document.”

It is a policy document. Senate Bill 375 implements it.

The 17,000-word SB 375 integrates transportation, housing, land use and the reduction of greenhouse emissions, Singarella said.

“It will affect the way you do business here over the next five years,” Singarella said. “It doesn’t change vehicles or fuel. It is solely focused on getting people out of cars.”

“If projects are not compliant with sustainable community strategy carbon targets, good luck getting CEQA approval.”

There is a loophole.

If carbon targets cannot be met, an alternative may be proposed, Singarella said.

Singarella said he expects climate-changing legislation.

“The president [Barack Obama] has put together a Green Dream Team,” Singarella said. “California is represented and Obama has said something to the effect that the federal government should adopt some of the [state’s] goals.

“The Climate Security Act of 2008 is being pared back by Boxer [Barbara Boxer, who chairs the Senate Environmental Committee] and other federal legislation is in the pipeline.”

Singarella said the council must address the environmental impacts of projects, consider the cumulative effects, take steps to educate the public, provide information to the public and encourage a grass-roots program.

“Engineers and architects are being trained for renewable construction,” he said.

Renewable is defined as material or energy that does not deplete the material or source.

Another way to meet the reduction goals is desalinization, Singarella said.

Twenty percent of the state’s energy goes into the transportation of water — on which Laguna is dependent.

Laguna Beach County Water District General Manager Renae Hinchey has been working on a experimental project with South Coast Water District.

Councilwoman Jane Egly considers it a major issue for Laguna.

Singarella was invited to the speak to the council by Councilwoman Toni Iseman.

The committee will present its final report for its Climate Protection Action Plan at the Jan. 27 council meeting.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or coastlinepilot@latimes.com.