San Diego County officials have lost another round in their battle to establish a climate action plan that manages growth and greenhouse gas emissions.
A state appeals court on Monday upheld a lower court ruling rejecting the climate plan.
The three-judge panel ruled the County Climate Action Plan is not consistent with the county general plan. The general plan is the document that guides development in the unincorporated areas.
It is the third county action plan to be rejected in the courts.
“They keep putting forward an unverifiable and unenforceable international offset scheme in lieu, again, of doing what we need to do which is to build housing in the urban areas,” said Nicole Capritz, Climate Action Campaign executive director.
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The county is required by the state to develop a plan that rolls back greenhouse gas emissions.
“The county needs to work with the community,” Capritz said. “We’re here ready to partner with the county and identify solutions and make sure that yes of course we’re going to continue to build new housing and grow as a community but let's do it together. Let’s do it the right way.”
The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that threw out the plan because it did not adequately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It is unclear whether the county will pursue a challenge of the appeals court decision.
