To: Board of Supervisors
From: Public Works
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
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Senate Bill (SB)1383 Organic Waste Recycling Update
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive and file the presentation on Humboldt County’s SB1383 Organic Waste Recycling Update
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Public Works-Solid Waste (1100 438), Planning and Building- Code Enforcement (1100), Health & Human Services- Environmental Health (1175), and County Administrative Office-Purchasing (3555)
DISCUSSION:
In September 2016, Governor Brown signed into law California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction law, or SB 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016), establishing methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) in various sectors of California's economy. SB1383 requires a state-wide 75% reduction of organic waste disposal by 2025, and rescue of at least 20% of currently disposed edible food.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors authorized staff to submit the Notice of Intent to Comply (NOIC) which was submitted by the Public Works Director on Feb. 15, 2022. Public Works will be receiving a Corrective Action Plan from California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) in the near future that will outline our required compliance activities and timelines. The NOIC prevents the county from receiving non-compliance fines if we comply with our Corrective Action Plan.
Humboldt County Public Works staff has been working with local jurisdictions to prepare our region to come into compliance with the new provisions of SB 1383. Consultant Edgar & Associates was hired through a regional collaboration led by the Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA), to develop a “Road Map to Compliance”. The county will have to make changes to waste collection, recycling, and organics programs in the next few years to satisfy the requirements of SB 1383. Jurisdictional responsibilities include:
1. Providing organics collection services to all residents and businesses
2. Establish an edible food recovery program
3. Conduct education and outreach to the community
4. Procure recyclable and recovered organic products
5. Capacity Planning
6. Inspections and Enforcement
7. Recordkeeping
It is important to note that currently Humboldt County and all jurisdictions within the region do not yet have the infrastructure in place for the collection or processing of organic waste. The county is continuing to work at the regional level as a member of HWMA and as a member of the Solid Waste Local Task Force (LTF) to develop organics processing infrastructure as quickly as possible. On Nov. 1, 2022, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors signed a letter of interest and support to HWMA for leading regionalization for the purpose of organics processing in compliance with SB 1383. HWMA has agreed to fulfill the organics processing needs of our region if they receive assurances from all jurisdictions within the county that they will receive organic materials through flow control. The current Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) may be updated with an amendment to secure flow control of organic materials for HWMA, the first step needed to develop an organics processing site within the county.
The bulk of responsibilities for achieving SB 1383 compliance will fall on the Public Works Department; however, it will also require collaboration with the Planning and Building- Code Enforcement, Health & Human Services - Environmental Health, and the County Administrative Office - Purchasing. This informational report is intended to provide an update to the Board of Supervisors informing them of the status of the county’s compliance with SB1383 and what to expect in the coming months.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact involved with the acceptance of this informational report. However, as the county moves forward towards compliance with SB 1383, Public Works will return to the Board of Supervisors with agenda items that may require funding and supplemental budgets.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by creating opportunities for improved safety and health and by building interjurisdictional and regional cooperation.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Humboldt Waste Management Authority, City of Eureka, City of Arcata, City of Blue Lake, City of Fortuna, City of Ferndale, City of Trinidad, City of Rio Dell, Humboldt County Planning and Building- Code Enforcement, Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services- Environmental Health, Humboldt County Administrative Office - Purchasing, and California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board of Supervisors may choose not to receive the SB1383 Organic Waste Recycling Update for Humboldt County however, it would provide important information to board members of statewide mandates and jurisdictional requirements to better prepare them for upcoming actions and events.
ATTACHMENTS:
N/A
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: D-21, D-14
Meeting of: Feb. 15, 2022, Nov. 01, 2022
File No.: 22-165, 22-1448