May 15, 2024
The Honorable Ben Allen
Chair, Senate Environmental Quality Committee
1021 O Street, Room 3230
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 972 (Min) Methane emissions: organic waste: landfills - SUPPORT
Dear Senator Allen,
The City of San Marcos is pleased to support SB 972 (Min), related to organic waste implementation. In 2016, SB 1383 was chaptered into law which set forth the state’s methane emission reduction goals of a 50% reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020 and 75% reduction by 2025. Local governments are responsible for program efforts to reduce organic waste in landfills.
In 2023, the Little Hoover Commission (LHC) released a report on the state’s organic waste program implementation. The LHC analyzed the progress of SB 1383 and called upon the Legislature and the Administration to completely pause the implementation of organic waste programs. The LHC clarified this would allow the state’s leadership to re-evaluate how the program is structured. We are appreciative of the recommendations included in the report but strongly believe that implementation should continue forward, rather than be completely paused. Local jurisdictions can and should continue their efforts to reduce organic waste in landfills as a key climate initiative and to continue to build upon the investments they have already made in their local organic waste programs.
SB 972 would address four of the twelve recommendations included in the LHC report through two key components of the bill. First, the bill would bolster the existing technical assistance provided by CalRecycle to local jurisdictions implementing organic waste programs to meet the state’s 1383 goals of reducing methane emissions from landfills. The bill would require CalRecycle to develop procedures on its website to allow local jurisdictions to request support based on the local challenges their community is facing with implementation. This approach will help local governments express what their greatest concerns are and empower the CalRecycle to focus assistance on addressing those challenges.
Further, CalRecycle could address challenge that multiple jurisdictions face and build local capacity if multiple jurisdictions have similar technical assistance needs. The bill would have CalRecycle consider addressing a technical assistance request prior to exercising enforcement authority if a request is already submitted. Technical assistance could include data reporting, education programming, local program development, procurement target clarification support, and coordination of state policy goals that affect organic waste.
The second key component of SB 972 (Min) would require CalRecycle to develop two reports back to the California State Legislature to summarize progress that has occurred by 2028 and summarize accomplishments of the program and alignment with other state climate goals by 2031. This would allow CalRecycle to summarize how the state and local jurisdictions are progressing and the key accomplishments of the program in the coming years to ensure overall accountability in meeting these critical climate goals.
For these reasons, the City of San Marcos proudly supports SB 972.
Sincerely,
Rebecca D. Jones
Mayor
CC: The Honorable Dave Min
Members, Senate Environmental Quality Committee
Brynn Cook, Policy Consultant, Senate Environmental Quality Committee League of California Cities, [email protected]
2 City Council
[email protected]