CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: {{item.number}} Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 21-4678 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: February 5, 2024
SUBJECT:
County of San Mateo Compost Quality Improvement Campaign - Memorandum of Understanding RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of San Mateo and other jurisdictions within the county to develop a Compost Quality Improvement Campaign, and approve a separate Memorandum of Understanding with the County of San Mateo to provide for mutual indemnification; authorize the City Manager to execute the two Memoranda of Understanding in substantially the form presented; and authorize the City Manager to execute all related documentation to effectuate the Memoranda of Understanding, as appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
Regulations to implement Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), the Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Reduction Act (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 18981 et seq.), were adopted on November 3, 2020, by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (SB 1383 Regulations) with, goals, among other things, to reduce the disposal of organics to landfills and mandate the procurement of finished compost derived from the diverted organics. The SB 1383 Regulations require each jurisdiction in California to meet an annual recycled organics procurement target based on population. The City of San Mateo’s yearly target is 8,244 tons, which can be met by procuring SB 1383 compliant compost, mulch, or renewable natural gas.
The County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability (OOS) has taken the lead in researching the quality of finished compost available for procurement and determined that development of the Compost Quality Improvement Campaign would be beneficial to increase the quality of the material. Finished compost produced from municipal organic waste collection programs is the most accessible and affordable to procure toward meeting the mandate. However, such compost is contaminated with plastic, glass, and other material, limiting jurisdictions’ potential use of this resource.
The OOS approached jurisdictions in the county and proposed to develop a Compost Quality Improvement Campaign which will consist of hiring a consultant, forming a task force, interviewing stakeholders, and studying the organics sorting education and outreach available to multi-family housing development with the goal of improving compost quality.
Jurisdictions within the county reached consensus on a unified approach to addressing this challenge and to collectively provide funding from the SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant. Improving the education and outreach to multi-family housing developments in the City is a City Council priority.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)(Attachment – 1) is similar to others adopted by the City and other jurisdictions to work collaboratively to meet the SB 1383 mandates and address climate change. For example, the MOU to establish an Edible Food Recovery Program and the MOU with the South Bayside Waste Management Authority for organics collection, education, and outreach were collaborative approaches. City staff also requests approval of a second
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment – 2) between the City and the County only that modifies Attachment 1 by providing for mutual indemnification. Collectively, the proposed memoranda detail the roles of the City and the County and would become effective retroactive to January 31, 2024, and expire on July 30, 2024.
Based on the above, staff recommends approval of both Memoranda of Understanding with the County of San Mateo to develop a Compost Quality Improvement Campaign
BUDGET IMPACT:
The City's funding contribution to the Compost Quality Improvement Campaign totals $20,000 and is supported by funding received from the SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant from the State to implement SB 1383.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This action by the City to approve a resolution implementing this Memorandum of Understanding is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Resolution
Att 2 – Memorandum of Understanding 1
Att 3 – Memorandum of Understanding 2
STAFF CONTACT
Jack Johnson, Waste Management Supervisor
[email protected]
6505227346