Lauren Michele’s combined knowledge as a practicing transportation planning consultant, climate policy analyst, and graduate researcher has given her a foundation to build a business and author a book connecting federal and state legislative priorities with local and regional implementation. Her detailed Curriculum Vitae provides additional background on her areas of expertise. Lauren Michele’s recent book, “POLICY IN MOTION: Transportation Planning in California after AB 32“ (released August 10th) covers five key topics that are necessary for policymakers to understand in order to implement transportation solutions at all levels of government:
- The Four Circles of GHG Reduction Strategies from Travel Behavior: categorizes the existing literature on GHG reduction ranges from land use and transportation strategies into four major themes
- Planning Theory and Frameworks in California: analyzes how environmental review frameworks, funding structures, and the land use/transportation planning process work at the local, regional, state, and federal levels
- Implementing SACOG’s Blueprint and Metropolitan Transportation Plan: reveals what aspects of California government need policy reform in order to successfully implement SB 375’s “Sustainable Communities Strategies” through an analysis of SACOG’s Blueprint process successes and shortcomings
- Recommendations for New Policy Frameworks in California: contains suggestions for statute changes, agency actions, and framework reforms that support AB 32, SB 375, AB 857, and SB 391 objectives
- Creating an Integrated Framework to Address Travel Behavior at the Federal Level: provides recommended language for evolving federal climate/energy bills (e.g. CLEAN-TEA; House/Senate versions) and the upcoming transportation reauthorization to support GHG reduction through the planning process.
[quote author=”George Dondero, Executive Director for the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission”]I recently ordered a copy of your book, and have just begun reading it. This is an ambitious work, and already from skimming a few sections, I sense that you are and will be making significant contributions toward shaping policy in California toward a more sustainable and livable future.[/quote]