Dear Planning Commissioners,

My name is Katherine Bit. I’m a current Junior at American Canyon High School and the Co-Vice President of Napa Schools for Climate Action, a student-led coalition and activist group that advocates for youth climate justice.

I’d like to comment on the global issue of climate change and the need for mandatory action to be taken in American Canyon. In the Climate Emergency Resolution curated in 2022, American Canyon’s commitment to achieving Net Zero Climate Pollution by or before 2030 was professed. It would be amazing to see the American Canyon make this same level of commitment in its General Plan. You, along with our schools and cities who have set the same goal, would send the message that we are in a true emergency and that you take your responsibility to our younger generation seriously.

Being a part of the youth, I know that mine and my peers’ futures are at jeopardy under our current climate crisis. There’s no better time than now to make a big impact as a small community and guarantee a healthy future for our city’s youth. It’s the responsibility of our city’s leadership, and even just us as humans, to restore a liveable climate and environment by taking immediate, emergency-scale action.

Thank you for your consideration.
Katherine Bit

Good morning,

We know that there will be a Planning Commission meeting tonight and as a representative and President of FilAm
we are asking for help to request that the planning commission absolutely include Green Island as a study area.

And we know that project is almost ready to proceed with the appropriate applications with the new city council, and will definitely improve and contribute to our city. Thank you very much 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Respectfully yours,
Jod’l Cruz
FilAm President

Dear Members of the American Canyon Planning Commission,

The Sierra Club Napa Group respectfully expresses our opposition to the American Canyon Planning Commission's resolution recommending that the City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the SDG Commerce 220 Distribution Center and approve a Conditional Use Permit for the project.

We concur with Napa Solano Residents for Responsible Development (NSRRD) that the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is inadequate under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines. It should be revised and recirculated for further public review. Our concerns focus on the immediate and long-term impacts of increased truck traffic from this and other proposed industrial developments in American Canyon, including heightened carbon emissions, harm to wetlands, land use incompatibilities, and additional traffic congestion within and around the city.

The Sierra Club Napa Group aligns with the state of California's stance that reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is essential to lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) identifies VMT reduction as a critical element in the state’s climate strategy. The DEIR itself acknowledges that this project will increase VMT, and that these emissions cannot be mitigated. As the world battles climate change by aiming to lower GHG emissions, this project moves us in the wrong direction.

Furthermore, the City of American Canyon has failed to account for the need to protect open space for wildlife and local residents. The city continues to prioritize development over the preservation of open spaces, with no clear plan for safeguarding critical habitats or providing recreational opportunities around the American Canyon wetlands.

We also share the concerns raised by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in its response to the Draft EIR. The CDFW notes that the document fails to adequately mitigate impacts on Swainson’s hawks and other species. CDFW recommends that comprehensive surveys of nesting sites and wildlife activity be conducted and made publicly available. We fully support this recommendation.

In conclusion, we urge the Planning Commission to reconsider its support for the City Council's certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report for the SDG Commerce 220 Distribution Center.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sierra Club Napa Group Executive Committee