Where are we going?

The County of San Diego’s 2018 Climate Action Plan (2018 CAP) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Measure T-1.2 (Acquire Agricultural Easements) provided direction to update the PACE Program by expanding the eligibility criteria and increasing the annual easement acquisition goal from 230 acres to 443 acres to help achieve a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of 2,330 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. Although the Superior Court ordered the County to set aside and vacate the February 14, 2018 (1) approvals and the certification of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, pending adoption of a new Climate Action Plan, the County will continue to independently implement the 26 GHG emissions reduction measures and sustainability initiatives and programs identified in the 2018 Climate Action Plan to reduce GHG emissions to meet the State’s 2030 reduction target.

To meet the County’s objectives to promote long-term preservation of agriculture in the unincorporated area and reduce GHG emissions, the Board approved updates to the PACE Program Guidelines on March 3, 2021 (10) to expand the pool of eligible property owners in order to achieve the goal of 443 acres of agricultural lands preserved per calendar year.