On April 27, two RCRC-sponsored bills advanced in the California State Assembly.
Assembly Bill 2878, by Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), passed the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee. The bill helps achieve the state’s forest health and wildfire risk reduction goals by increasing the productive use of forest waste through energy generation and wood products manufacturing.
Amendments adopted in committee slightly narrow some of the energy-focused provisions of the bill, but continue to facilitate the use of bioenergy for local grid support, management of forest waste, and SB 1383 compliance.
AB 2878 is co-sponsored by RCRC and the Placer County Air Pollution Control District and has support from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including Mono and Tulare Counties and Supervisor Jaron Brandon (Tuolumne County). AB 2878 now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
RCRC’s letter of support is available here. RCRC strongly encourages individual counties to send letters in support, a template for which can be downloaded here.
Assembly Bill 2481, by Assembly Member Thurston “Smitty” Smith (R-Hesperia), passed the Assembly Appropriations on consent and will likely be taken up for consideration on the Assembly Floor in the first week of May. AB 2481 seeks to reduce administrative and financial burdens on local governments that administer household hazardous waste collection facilities (HHWCFs); provide flexibility for operation of local HHWCFs; and facilitate proper disposal of hazardous waste.
RCRC has been working closely with the Department of Toxic Substances Control, local enforcement agencies, and local programs to develop common sense proposals to improve the existing hazardous waste management system. RCRC’s letter of support can be found here.
For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.