Fortuna adopts Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan, cites CEQA streamlining and grant opportunities

The Fortuna City Council voted unanimously on May 18 to adopt the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) as the City of Fortuna’s RCAP and made the CEQA responsible-agency findings required by state law.

City staff, presenting the plan, said the RCAP provides a regional framework to meet state greenhouse gas reduction requirements while preserving local control over specific projects. “Adopting the RCAP does not approve any specific projects or require immediate action,” the presenter said, adding that it positions Fortuna to pursue grants and coordinate regionally.

Staff summarized the plan’s technical basis and targets: a 2022 greenhouse gas inventory establishing a baseline of roughly 1.53 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent; on-road transportation accounted for about 73% of community emissions; buildings and natural gas use contributed about 13%; off-road equipment roughly 8%; and other smaller sectors combined for about 6%. The RCAP sets interim and long-term targets, including 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2045.

Adoption as a local RCAP allows Fortuna to use the plan for CEQA streamlining and to improve competitiveness for grants, staff said. The presentation cited forthcoming grant opportunities including a Transportation Climate Catalyst (TCC) program with awards up to $27.5 million and other grants up to $10 million for infrastructure and planning readiness; staff noted the RCAP’s shared implementation framework could help Fortuna be more competitive for such funds.

Council members asked whether the RCAP imposes immediate new requirements on builders; staff answered that the RCAP itself does not create ordinances or impose new requirements and that state building-code trends (e.g., electrification-ready standards) are already moving in that direction. The council also asked about the role of local forest sequestration in the inventory; staff said sequestration is quantified in the plan.

The council moved and seconded adoption by roll call vote: Council member Conley Aye; Council member Stevens Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Trent Yes; Mayor Mike Johnson Yes.

Staff said next steps include integrating the RCAP into future planning updates and pursuing funding and partnerships to implement selected measures. No public comment was offered during the RCAP public hearing.