Manteca’s elected leaders adopted the state-mandated update to the city’s climate change action plan on Tuesday.

As such, it was fairly routine and uncontroversial.

It’s what’s they didn’t do — but staff said will likely come up in the next go around to attain Sacramento’s goal of zero net greenhouse emissions by 2045 — that will likely get people’s attention.
Staff said Manteca will likely need to consider adopting strategies on the 5 to 10 year horizon in future climate plan updates to address:

*restricting drive-up lanes to zero emission vehicles and hybrids only while prohibiting gas and diesel powered vehicles.

*eliminating the use of any yard maintenance equipment that is gasoline powered.

 Idling vehicles in lines at banks, fast food places, pharmacies, and drive-thru coffee concerns are a major source of greenhouse gases due to the extremely insufficient burning of fossil-based fuel.

As for yard equipment, staff indicated it is just a matter of time before such a ban wouldn’t be controversial given it has been illegal to sell new gas-powered tools such for residential landscape use such as chain saws, leaf blowers, hedge trimmer and lawn mowers for more than three years in California.

Councilwoman Regina Lackey questioned whether not limiting new gas stations is contrary to the state’s plan to ban the sale of new vehicles that run on fossil fuel starting in 2035.

Staff noted the climate change guidelines address the source, which would be vehicles, and not gas stations per se.

They also noted it is still legal to build  new gas stations in California as long as they meet all clean air requirements in terms of fumes connected with the pumping of fuel.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com