CC - Item 7C - Discussion and Possible Support of the League of California Cities Proposed Budget Request to the State for Local Assistance for Organic Waste Recycling Progam Development and ImplementationROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BEN KIM, ACTING CITY MANAGER-Sfl��
DATE: APRIL 12, 2022
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE SUPPORT OF THE LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA CITIES PROPOSED BUDGET REQUEST TO THE STATE
FOR LOCAL ASSISTANCE FOR ORGANIC WASTE RECYCLING
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
SUMMARY
This item is presented to the City Council at the request of Council Member Margaret Clark
to discuss the League of California Cities' (Cal Cities) budget request to the State to
appropriate $180 million (General Fund) for local assistance to continue helping cities
develop and implement organic waste recycling programs as mandated by Senate Bill (SB) 1383.
DISCUSSION
The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery's (CalRecycle) Organic Waste Reduction
Regulations (SB 1383) adopted in November 2020, require local governments to reduce
landfill disposal of organic waste 75% and to increase edible food waste recovery 20% by 2025.
The additional funding requested by Cal Cities will help local governments achieve the State's
organic waste recycling targets.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council discuss and provide further direction to City staff.
STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT - None
FISCAL IMPACT - None
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
AGENDA ITEM 7.0
City Council Meeting
April 12, 2022
Page 2 of 2
Prepared by:
L L— 1.0. *WW*
Natalie Haworth, Deputy City Clerk
Submitted by:
Ericka Hernandez, City Clerk
Attachment A: League of California Cities Letter to the State
Attachment B: League of California Cities Requested Proposed Letter of Support
Attachment A
League of California Cities Letter to the State
LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA
CITIES
.00224. LOS ANGELES COUNTY
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AYublicAgency residual Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority
March 15, 2021
The Honorable Nancy Skinner The Honorable Philip Ting
Chair, Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Chair, Assembly Budget Committee
Committee 1021 O Street, Suite8230
1021 O Street, Suite 8630 Sacramento, CA 95814
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Budget Request - $180 million (General Fund): Local Assistance for Organic
Waste Recycling Program Development and Implementation
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we respectfully request a one-time $180
million increase (General Fund) in local assistance to continue helping cities and
counties develop and implement organic waste recycling programs, as required by the
Department of Resource Recovery's (CalRecycle) Organic Waste Reduction
Regulations (SB 1383). This budget request builds on the $60 million down payment
approved by the Legislature last year, and will further help local governments
implement this important greenhouse gas emission reducing program and lower the
cost to ratepayers.
Cities and counties greatly appreciate the Legislature's funding for SB 1383 local
assistance in the FY 2021-22 budget and for CalRecycle's quick establishment of the
grant program. However, additional funding is greatly needed. At a recent Senate
Budget Committee Subcommittee hearing, CalRecycle Director Machi Wagoner
indicated that CalRecycle received 470 applications for the initial round of funding,
which is insufficient to support local government projects seeking resources.
Local governments are the backbone for achieving California's solid waste
management and recycling goals. CalRecycle's SB 1383 Regulations adopted in
November 2020 require local governments to reduce landfill disposal of organic waste
75% by 2025 and to increase edible food waste recovery 20%. SB 1383 is the farthest -
reaching solid waste management change since AB 939 (Sher, 1989) and CalRecycle
has estimated statewide implementation will cost $20-$40 billion over the next decade,
including the addition of 50-100 new organic waste recycling facilities.
Compliance obligations for local governments began in early 2022 and local
governments continue to develop a comprehensive suite of local collection,
enforcement, and funding programs. These activities include hiring new staff and
consultants, adopting ordinances, arranging for appropriate collection services,
establishing inspection and enforcement programs, procuring recovered organic waste
products, providing education and outreach, developing edible food recovery
programs, and reporting to CalRecycle.
In order to fund all these activities, local governments must raise their rates to cover the
additional costs of administering the program. At a time when inflation is at its highest
rate in decades, our residents are already feeling the negative impacts on their
personal budgets. This is the right time for the state to continue to fund the
implementation of this program to help keep solid waste and recycling rates from
increasing dramatically.
The undersigned organizations jointly request a one-time S180 million increase (General
Fund) for local assistance to cities and counties for local orcaanic waste recycling
program development and initial implementation activities in the same manner as the
current SB 1383 local assistance grants administered by CalRecycle.
Given that CalRecycle has already created this grant program, we urge the Legislature
to add more funding to this program to help meet local government needs.
This funding request alone is not sufficient to achieve the state's organic waste
recycling targets, especially considering the estimated $20-$40 billion anticipated total
implementation cost; however, it will go a Iona way to help local governments and
accelerate the develop the programs necessary to achieve those goals and to carry
out early implementation activities.
California must significantly increase the number of organic waste recycling facilities to
achieve the state's goals. As we advocated for last year, we continue to need
dedicated funding for infrastructure development. We believe there is merit to
supplementina this budget request with an infusion of state funding into CalRecycle's
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant and Loan Programs to provide financial assistance to
develop additional organic waste recycling infrastructure.
Additional funding should be focused to regional organic waste recycling and
procurement solutions and to rapidly scale up edible food recovery programs. Finally,
we again suggest allocating funding to CalRecycle to develop a statewide program
environmental impact report for the siting and construction of organic waste
composting facilities, as this could significantly reduce the time and cost to local
governments necessary to construct new composting facilities.
Developing suitable programs for organics diversion, obtaining the necessary approvals
of programs and costs to rate payers through elected bodies, awarding contracts, and
then implementing these programs will take time and resources. This $180 million
allocation will go a long way to help local governments develop and implement
effective organic waste recycling programs; however, we note that further statutory
and regulatory changes may be necessary to maximize program effectiveness and
efficiency, and address challenges that may arise in program implementation.
We respectfully request the Legislature appropriate $180 million (General Fund) for local
assistance as outlined above. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate
to contact Derek Dolfie of Cal Cities at ddolfie@calcities.ora: John Kennedy of RCRC at
jkennedy@rcrcnet.orq; or Catherine Freeman of CSAC at cfreeman@counties.ora.
Sincerely,
P&&17- T*
Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
League of California Cities (Cal Cities)
Catherine Freeman
Legislative Representative
California State Association of Counties
(CSAC)
John Kennedy
Policy Advocate
Rural County Representatives of
California (RCRC)
M. MICHAEL MOHAJER
Commissioner
Los Angeles County Integrated Waste
Management Task Force
Tedd Ward, M.S.
Director
Del Norte Solid Waste Management
Authority
Joe La Mariana
Executive Director
RethinkWaste
General Manager
Monterey Regional Waste Management
District
Ken Etherington
Executive Director
RecycleSmart
4�4w
Kevin Bell, P.E.
Deputy Executive Director
Western Placer Waste Management
Authority WPWMA)
Timothy Burroughs
Executive Director
StopWaste
Doug Kobold
LTF Chair
Solid Waste Association of North
America (SWANA)
cc: Members of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
Members of the Assembly Budget Committee
Joe Stephenshaw, Director, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
Christian Griffith, Chief Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Kirk Feely, Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Joseph Shinstock, Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus
Kip Lipper, Office of Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins
Marie Liu, Office of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon
Joanne Roy, Consultant, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
Shy Forbes, Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Kirstin Kolpitcke, Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus
Emily Reeb, Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Genevieve Wong, Consultant, Senate Environmental Quality Committee
Elizabeth MacMillan, Consultant, Assembly Natural Resources Committee
Scott Seekatz, Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Keely Bosler, Director, California Department of Finance
Erika Li, Chief Deputy Director, Budget, California Department of Finance
Matt Almy, Program Budget Manager, California Department of Finance
Sergio Aguilar, Assistant Program Budget Manager, California Department of
Finance
Attachment B
League of California Cities
Requested Proposed Letter of Support
ALL LETTERS MUST BE SENT VIA EMAIL. Please make sure to email your letters to Senator
Skinner (senator.skinner@senate.ca.gov), and Assembly Member Ting
(Bud getSub3@asm.ca.gov).
***CITY LETTERHEAD***
07_\I:
The Honorable Nancy Skinner The Honorable Phil Ting
Chair, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Chair, Assembly Budget Committee
Committee 1021 O Street, Suite 8230
1021 O Street, Suite 8630 Sacramento, CA 95814
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Budget Request -$180 million (General Fund): Local Assistance for Organic Waste
Recycling Program Development and Implementation
Dear Assembly Member Ting and Senator Skinner:
The City/Town of supports the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) request
for $180 million (General Fund) in local assistance to continue helping cities develop and
implement organic waste recycling programs, as required by the Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery's (CalRecycle) Organic Waste Reduction
Regulations (SB 1383). This budget request builds on the $60 million down payment
approved by the Legislature last year and will further help local governments implement
this important greenhouse gas emission reducing program and lower the cost to
ratepayers.
Cities greatly appreciate the Legislature's funding for SB 1383 local assistance in the FY
2021-22 budget and CalRecycle's quick establishment of the grant program. However,
additional funding is greatly needed. At a recent Senate Budget Committee
Subcommittee hearing, CalRecycle Director Rachel Machi Wagoner indicated that
CalRecycle received 470 applications for the initial round of funding, which is insufficient
to support local government projects seeking resources.
PLEASE INDICATE IF YOUR CITY APPLIED AND DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FOR YOUR SB 1383
GRANT OR DID NOT APPLY BUT WOULD LIKE TO IN THE FUTURE.
Local governments are the backbone for achieving California's solid waste
management and recycling goals. CalRecycle's SB 1383 Regulations adopted in
November 2020 require local governments to reduce landfill disposal of organic waste
75% by 2025 and to increase edible food waste recovery 20%. SB 1383 is the farthest -
reaching solid waste management change since AB 939 (Sher, 1989) and CalRecycle
has estimated statewide implementation will cost $20 to $40 billion over the next decade,
including the addition of 50-100 new organic waste recycling facilities.
Compliance obligations for local governments began in early 2022 and local
governments continue to develop a comprehensive suite of local collection,
enforcement, and funding programs. These activities include hiring new staff and
consultants, adopting ordinances, arranging for appropriate collection services,
establishing inspection and enforcement programs, procuring recovered organic waste
products, providing education and outreach, developing edible food recovery
programs, and reporting to CalRecycle.
PLEASE CITE HOW YOUR CITY WILL BE AFFECTED BY AND BENEFIT FROM THIS BUDGET
PROPOSAL HERE
This funding request alone is not sufficient to achieve the state's organic waste recycling
targets, especially in light of the estimated $20 to $40 billion anticipated total
implementation cost; however, it will go a Iona way to help local governments and
accelerate the development of the programs necessary to achieve those goals and to
carry out early implementation activities.
In addition to this request for local program development assistance, the City/Town of
recognizes that there remains additional need to dedicate funding for
infrastructure development. California must significantly increase the number of organic
waste recycling facilities to achieve the state's goals. We believe there is merit to
supplementing this request with an infusion of state funding into CalRecycle's
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant and Loan Programs to provide financial assistance to
develop additional organic waste recycling infrastructure. We believe that some portion
of those funds should be targeted to regional organic waste recycling and procurement
solutions and to rapidly scale up edible food recovery programs.
Finally, we suggest allocating funding to CalRecycle to develop a statewide program
environmental impact report for the siting and construction of organic waste composting
facilities, as such a document could significantly reduce the time necessary to construct
new composting facilities.
Developing suitable programs for organics diversion, obtaining the necessary approvals
of programs and costs to rate payers through elected bodies, awarding contracts, and
then implementing these programs will take time and resources. This $180 million
allocation will help local governments develop and implement effective organic waste
recycling programs; however, we note that further statutory and regulatory changes may
be necessary to maximize program effectiveness and efficiency, and address challenges
that may arise in program implementation.
For these reasons, the City/Town of respectfully requests the Legislature
appropriate $180 million (General Fund) for local assistance as outlined above.
Sincerely,
NAME
TITLE
CITY/TOWN of
cc: Your Senator and Assembly Member (Via email)
The Senate Budget Committee (Via email: SBUD.Committee@senate.ca.gov)
The Assembly Budget Committee (Via email: AsmBud get@asm.ca.gov)
Your Cal Cities Regional Public Affairs Manager (via email)
League of California Cities (via email: citvletters@calcities.ora)