BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1179
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1179 (Bocanegra)
As Amended August 5, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |58-18|(January 27, |SENATE: |30-3 |(August 25, |
| | |2014) | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. GOV.
SUMMARY : Clarifies that "parklets" and "greenways" are eligible
for grants for public works projects that use tire derived
products (TDP) and requires the Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), when awarding grants for
parklets and greenways, to give priority to projects located in
disadvantaged communities.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of the bill,
and instead:
1)Clarify that parklets and greenways are eligible for grants
awarded by CalRecycle for public works projects that use TDP.
2)Require CalRecycle, when awarding grants for parklets and
greenways that use TDP, to give priority to give priority to
projects located in disadvantaged communities.
3)Defines "disadvantaged community" as a community with an
annual median household income that is less than 80% of the
statewide median household income.
4)Defines "greenway" as a travel corridor for pedestrians,
bicycles, nonmotorized vehicle transportation, recreation, or
a combination thereof, located along natural landscape
features, such as an urban watercourse.
5)Defines "parklet" as a small urban park that provides
amenities including, but not limited to, seating, tables, bike
racks, and landscaping.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
AB 1179
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Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : According to CalRecycle, approximately 40 million
waste tires are generated in California every year.
CalRecycle's diversion goal is 90%; the most recent Five-Year
Plan (2011) states that the current diversion rate is around
74%. According to the California Waste Tire Market Report:
2011, of the 40.8 million tires generated: 8.8 million were
recycled as ground rubber, of which 4.9 million were used as
RAC; 2 million were used in civil engineering projects; 6.9
million were reused (either sold as used tires or retreaded);
6.2 million were used as "tire derived fuel" in cement kilns or
at co-generation facilities; and, 5 million were disposed in
landfills. The remaining 2.1 million were otherwise recycled
(generally other forms of reuse, such as dock bumpers) or used
as landfill cover.
California's recent economic downturn and relatively high
unemployment rate has contributed to a decline in waste tires
generated. The same factors, along with local government budget
constraints and a decline in use by Caltrans, has resulted in
diminishing numbers of tires being recycled. Export, generally
for energy generation in Asia, has nearly tripled since 2009.
Appropriate tire recycling in California provides significant
environmental benefits and creates green jobs.
There are a number of alternatives for recycling waste tires.
CalRecycle currently has three grant programs available to local
government agencies for public works projects that use recycled
tires. The TDP grant program provides funding for
recycled-content products that contain waste tires generated in
California. Grant applications for this program must use a
minimum of 2,500 tires, but one application may be submitted for
multiple projects within a jurisdiction. Eligible projects
include agricultural and landscaping, recreational, and
transportation projects. The types of projects that have
received funding under this program include tire-derived mulch,
playground surfacing, weed abatement coverings, horse stalls and
arenas, sport field surfacing, sidewalks and pathways, railroad
ties, and sound barriers.
This bill is substantially similar to AB 2658 (Bocanegra) of the
current legislative session, which was passed by the Assembly on
May 28, 2014 with a vote of 54-22.
AB 1179
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Analysis Prepared by : Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN:
0004674