The Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) has released its Draft 2014 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) and associated Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for a public review and comment period.

The 2014 RTP/SCS is a long-term coordinated transportation and land use strategy developed to meet Stanislaus County’s transportation and other needs out to the year 2040.

A 60-day public review and comment period (five days longer than the required 55-days) for the 2014 RTP/SCS started on Tuesday, March 25 and will conclude on Friday, May 23 for the 2014 RTP/SCS.

The Draft Program EIR document provides an analysis of potential environmental impacts related to the implementation of the 2014 RTP/SCS as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

A concurrent 45-day public review and comment period will commence on Tuesday, March 25 and conclude on Thursday, May 8 for the Draft PEIR.

The draft documents are available for review at the StanCOG office, located at 1111 I St., Suite 308, Modesto, CA 95354 or on the StanCOG website at www.stancog.org.

Additionally, comments may be submitted in writing, by email and will be welcomed at the following public hearings:

Wednesday, April 16 at the regularly scheduled StanCOG Policy Board meeting at 6 p.m., 1111 I St., Suite 308, Modesto.

Wednesday, May 21 at the StanCOG Policy Board meeting to be held at 6 p.m. at 2701 Fourth St., Ceres.

Comments are due no later than Thursday, May 8 for the Draft PEIR and Friday, May 23 for the Draft 2014 RTP/SCS. Submit comments to Rosa De Leon Park, Deputy Executive Director at 1111 I St., Suite 308, Modesto, CA 95354 or at rpark@stancog.org.

StanCOG is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Stanislaus Region as designated by the Federal government, and the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) as designated by the State of California. It is responsible for developing and updating a variety of transportation plans and for allocating the federal and state funds to implement them. While regional transportation planning is its primary role, StanCOG is also involved in other issues that affect the entire region such as air quality. StanCOG provides the forum that brings mayors, city council members and county supervisors together to work on regional issues in a setting that promotes the involvement of the public in the planning process for the Stanislaus region.