Consent Item 4d
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: November 7, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Letter of Interest and Support to Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA) for Leading Regionalization for the Purposes of Organics Processing in Compliance with SB1383
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the City Manager to sign the attached letter to notify the Humboldt Waste Management Authority (“HWMA”) of the city’s support for regionalization for the purposes of organics processing.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On February 22, 2022, the City of Fortuna passed Resolution 2022-03 authorizing the City Manager to submit a Notification of Intent to Comply with the requirements of California Senate Bill 1383 (SB1383) to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in accordance with California Senate Bill 619 (SB619). Resolution 2022-03 provided assurances to the State of California that the City of Fortuna will implement proposed actions to remedy violations and comply with required deadlines through a Corrective Action Plan.
In order to stay compliant, the city is in need of an organics pre-processing facility, which may be fulfilled by HWMA if they receive the assurances from the city, that they will receive organic materials through flow control.
SB1383 went into effect this year and jurisdictions that do not meet the requirements of this state law are subject to fines of $10,000 per day. Although, the City of Fortuna is continuing to make progress towards full compliance with SB1383, there are several challenging aspects of the city’s programs, which have not yet been fulfilled.
Implementation originally planned for Jan. 1, 2023, has been hampered by HWMA’s ability to develop a pre-processing organics facility for green waste and food waste. City Staff are working with regional partners and internally to develop the programs necessary to comply with SB 1383, however, The City is currently out of compliance without an operating organic composting facility. Signing this letter of support is the next step for the county to notify the State of California of Humboldt County’s compliance actions and efforts in order to avoid fines.
Consent Item 4d
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact involved with the approval of this letter of support. There is potential for fines of $10,000 per day if the city does not meet the requirements of SB1383.
Specific expenditures for compliance with SB 1383 programs will come to the council in the future if additional funding is required.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Motion to authorize the City Manager to sign the attached letter to notify the Humboldt Waste Management Authority (“HWMA”) of the city’s support for regionalization for the purposes of organics processing. Consent Agenda vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
HWMA Regionalization Support Letter
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