BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1126
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 24, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                     AB 1126 (Gordon) - As Amended:  May 8, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Natural  
          ResourcesVote:9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill establishes regulatory standards for facilities that  
          convert municipal solid waste (MSW) for energy generation.    
          Specifically, this bill: 

          1)Defines the terms MSW conversion and MSW waste facility.

          2)Requires countywide siting elements to include a description  
            of the areas to be used for the development of MSW conversion.

          3)Specifies that tires and biomass processed by conversion are  
            not considered disposal.

          4)Requires an MSW facility to adhere to the same laws and permit  
            requirements as solid waste facilities.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor, absorbale costs to CalRecycle to permit municipal solid  
          waste conversion facilities pursuant to the Integrated Waste  
          Management Act.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose.   According to the author, the intent of this bill is  
            to establish a clear permitting pathway for conversion  
            facilities that process MSW in a manner that provides a  
            reasonable approach commensurate with the potential risk to  
            public health and safety.   

            Dwindling landfill capacity and the infeasibility of siting  








                                                                  AB 1126
                                                                  Page  2

            and permitting new disposal sites have created a significant  
            demand for alternative management options for MSW, especially  
            in the Los Angeles area.  However, significant regulatory  
            barriers exist for the development of these technologies in  
            California, including the lack of guidance on how these  
            facilities could be permitted by CalRecycle.  

            This bill would allow MSW to be converted for energy  
            generation, which would offset the need for traditional fossil  
            fuels.  The author states that by reducing the use of fossil  
            fuels and moving the material away from landfills, this bill  
            would help California achieve its greenhouse gas reduction  
            goals.  

           2)Background.   The term conversion technologies generally refers  
            to a variety of technologies that process solid waste through  
            chemical, biological, or other non-combustion thermal  
            technologies to produce energy or renewable fuels. These  
            technologies create energy using three main processes:  
            thermochemical, biochemical, and physicochemical. 
             
           
           Analysis Prepared by :    Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081