Larry Klein
Mayor
Richard Mehlinger
Vice Mayor
Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember
Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember
Linda Sell
Councilmember
Charlsie Chang
Councilmember
Eileen Le
Councilmember
May 11, 2026
T
he Honorable Jasmeet Bains
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 5730
Sacramento, CA 95814
R
E: Assembly Bill 2112 (Bains): Climate-smart Organics Management for Protecting Our Soil and Terrain (COMPOST) Act of 2026 – SUPPORT D
ear Assemblymember Bains:
O
n behalf of the City of Sunnyvale, we want to express our support of AB 2112, the Climate-smart Organics Management for Protecting Our Soil and Terrain (COMPOST) Act of 2026.
S
unnyvale recognizes the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing sustainable and integrated solutions for organic waste management, soil health, and climate resilience. AB 2112 meaningfully addresses these priorities by directing the Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with key state partners, to develop a coordinated statewide strategy that links organic waste diversion with nature - based soil health practices on natural and working lands.
We particularly support the bill’s effort to integrate existing state programs and strategies—including CalRecycle’s organic waste diversion goals, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Healthy Soils Program, and the Air Resources Board’s Scoping Plan—into a unified framework. This approach will help ensure that California’s climate policies are aligned, efficient, and capable of delivering measurable greenhouse gas reductions.
T
he City of Sunnyvale recognizes the important role compost plays in advancing climate and environmental goals. Composting not only reduces methane emissions from landfills but also improves soil health, increases water retention, supports carbon sequestra tion, and enhances the resilience of agricultural and natural lands. In current modeling, greenhouse gas emissions on rangelands are expected to increase with higher temperatures. That’s troubling as rangelands, open areas used for animal grazing, cover 62% of California’s non-developed land. With such vast coverage throughout the state, rangeland environments provide a great opportunity to apply nature-based practices that can optimize carbon storage and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Attachment 10
The Honorable Jasmeet Bains, State Assembly
May 11, 2026
Nature-based carbon solutions take advantage of the natural benefits that ecosystems provide to reduce atmospheric CO2. One solution involves soil amendment, such as adding a thin layer of compost to soil to improve plant growth and decrease carbon released from soils over time. Previous research in California’s grasslands, the type of ecosystem that rangelands commonly are, shows this method can be effective. By promoting the expanded production and use of climate -friendly compost, AB 2112 strengthens a proven, nature -based solution that delivers multiple environmental and economic benefits.
The City of Sunnyvale’s support for AB 2112 is grounded in adopted City Council Policy
7.4.14, including the City’s Climate Action Playbook, Zero Waste Strategic Plan, and General Plan policies that prioritize waste reduction, greenhouse gas mitigation, and sustainable resource management. These policies emphasize the diversion of organic materials from landfills, the beneficial reuse of compost and other recovered resources, and the advancement of nature -based solutions to improve soil health and carbon sequestration. AB 2112 is consistent with these policy objectives by promoting integrated, climate-smart organics management strategies that reduce emissions, enhance ecosystem resilience, and support long-term environmental sustainability.
We also appreciate the bill’s emphasis on using the best available science and interagency coordination to guide implementation, as well as its requirement for ongoing public reporting on progress. These provisions will help ensure accountability and conti nuous improvement as California advances its climate goals.
For these reasons, the City of Sunnyvale is proud to support AB 2112 and thanks you for your leadership on this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Mansour Nasser, Interim Director of Environmental Services at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larry Klein
Mayor
Attachment 10
The Honorable Jasmeet Bains, State Assembly
May 11, 2026
cc: Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab
Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens
City Council
Tim Kirby, City Manager
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Mansour Nasser, Interim Director of Environmental Services
Attachment 10