SB 804, as amended, Lara. Solid waste: energy.
(1) Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commissionbegin delete (Energy Commission) to submit an annual report to the Legislature by March 31 of each year regarding awards made pursuant to the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Program.end deletebegin insert at least every 2 years, to conduct assessments and forecasts of all aspects of energy industry supply, production, transportation, delivery and distribution, demand, and prices.end insert
This bill would require the energy commission to include in the annual report that is due by March 31, 2015, an analysis of the opportunities for utilizing waste conversion technologies.
end delete(2) The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, requires each city, county, and regional agency, if any, to develop a source reduction and recycling element of an integrated waste management plan.
end deleteThis bill would make a statement of legislative intent regarding the development of waste conversion technology facilities.
end deleteThis bill would require the commission, when developing that assessment and forecast, to investigate the potential for conversion technology facilities to assist the state in meeting specified environmental goals and to evaluate the anticipated greenhouse gas emission reductions by utilizing those facilities.
end insertbegin insert(2) The existing California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires the Public Utilities Commission to implement annual procurement targets for the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources, which includes a renewable electrical generation facility, applicable to all retail sellers of electricity. Existing law defines a renewable electrical generation facility as a facility that, among other things, uses biomass or municipal solid waste conversion.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would revise the definition of renewable electrical generation facility by revising the definition of municipal solid waste conversion and defining the term “biomass” as the renewable portion of residual solid waste, as specified.
end insertbegin insert(3) The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, requires each city, county, and regional agency, if any, to develop a source reduction and recycling element of an integrated waste management plan. With certain exceptions, the source reduction and recycling element of that plan is required to divert 50% of all solid waste, through source reduction, recycling, and composting activities. Existing law allows the 50% diversion requirement to include not more than 10% through transformation or “biomass conversion,” as defined, if specified conditions are met. The act defines various terms, including “biomass conversion,” “composting” “gasification” and “transformation,” for the purposes of the act.
end insertbegin insertExisting law defines “transformation” to include various activities and to exclude other activities.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would define the terms “conversion technology” and “residual solid waste” for purposes of the act and would revise the definition of the term “biomass conversion” to include conversion technology. The bill would revise those other terms, including defining “transformation” to only include the incineration of solid waste, and to exclude conversion technology. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program by imposing new duties upon local agencies with regard to the diversion of solid waste. The bill would also make conforming changes.
end insertbegin insert(4) The act requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth standards for solid waste handling. A violation of the provisions regulating solid waste facilities is a crime.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would prohibit a solid waste facility from accepting recyclable or compostable materials, except for the purposes of beneficially using those materials, as approved by the local enforcement agency, or for the purposes of temporarily storing the materials for later transport to another facility. The bill would allow a solid waste disposal facility to only accept residual solid waste for disposal or processing. Since a violation of these requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
end insertbegin insert(5) The act provides for the designation of an enforcement agency under specified procedures and requires enforcement agencies to perform specified functions with regard to solid waste handling and the issuance and enforcement of solid waste facilities permits. The enforcement agency is required to include, in the permit of a solid waste facility designed to convert solid waste into energy or synthetic fuels, a provision requiring operating procedures to prevent hazardous waste from entering the conversion process.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would instead require the enforcement agency to include such a provision in the permit of a conversion technology facility processing residual solid waste, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by imposing new duties upon a local agency.
end insertbegin insert(6) Existing law prohibits a person from establishing or expanding a solid waste facility in a county, after a countywide or regional agency integrated waste management plan has been approved, unless the solid waste facility meets certain criteria.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would additionally include, as one of those criteria, a facility that is a conversion technology facility processing residual solid waste and that is identified and described in, or found to conform with, the countywide integrated waste management plan, as specified.
end insertbegin insert(7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for specified reasons.
end insertVote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish clear definitions
4in statute that promote the highest and best use of resources while
5supporting the state’s key environmental goals, including the
6California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16
7(commencing with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of
8Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code), the low-carbon fuel
9standards adopted by the State Air Resources Board in Subarticle
107 (commencing with Section 95480) of Title 17 of the California
11Code of Regulations, and greenhouse gas reduction goals, as
12provided in
Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of
13the Health and Safety Code.
14(b) The state’s “Bioenergy Action Plan” has identified municipal
15solid waste as abegin delete substantialityend deletebegin insert substantiallyend insert underutilized resource
16for biomass feedstock that could produce renewable fuels and
17energy.
18(c) Around the world, advanced solid waste conversion
19technologies are being used to process postrecycled, residual waste
20to divert materials from landfills and recover a variety of
21marketable products from those residuals, including clean-burning
22fuels, chemicals, construction materials, soil amendments, and
23electricity.
Section 25620.8 of the Public Resources Code is
25amended to read:
(a) The commission shall prepare and submit to the
27Legislature an annual report, not later than March 31 of each year,
28on awards made pursuant to this chapter and progress toward
29achieving the goals set forth in Section 25620.1. The report shall
30include information on the names of award recipients, the amount
31of awards, and the types of projects funded, an evaluation of the
32success of funded projects, and recommendations for improvements
33in the program. The report shall set forth the actual costs of
34programs or projects funded by the commission, the results
35achieved, and how
the actual costs and results compare to the
36expected costs and benefits. The commission shall establish
37procedures for protecting confidential or proprietary information
P5 1and shall consult with all interested parties in the preparation of
2the annual report.
3(b) The commission shall include, in the annual report due not
4later than March 31, 2015, an analysis of the opportunities for
5utilizing waste conversion technologies, to achieve the goals set
6forth in Section 25620.1.
Section 40005 is added to the Public Resources Code,
8to read:
The Legislature finds and declares that, to spur
10economic development, promote environmental justice by
11managing residual waste near where it is generated, reduce
12greenhouse gas emissions, decrease pollution, groundwater
13contamination, and other environmental impacts associated with
14solid waste disposal, and reduce the state’s dependence on landfill
15disposal, it is the intent of the Legislature to examine the
16development of solid waste conversion technology facilities to
17manage the residual solid waste that cannot feasibly be recycled
18or composted.
begin insertSection 25301 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
20amended to read:end insert
(a) At least every two years, the commission shall
22conduct assessments and forecasts of all aspects of energy industry
23supply, production, transportation, delivery and distribution,
24demand, and prices. The commission shall use these assessments
25and forecasts to develop energy policies that conserve resources,
26protect the environment, ensure energy reliability, enhance the
27state’s economy, and protect public health and safety. To perform
28these assessments and forecasts, the commission may require
29submission of demand forecasts, resource plans, market
30assessments, and related outlooks from electric and natural gas
31utilities, transportation fuel and technology suppliers, and other
32market participants. These assessments and forecasts shall be done
33in consultation with the appropriate state
and federal agencies
34including, but not limited to, the Public Utilities Commission, the
35begin delete Officeend deletebegin insert Divisionend insert of Ratepayer Advocates, thebegin insert Stateend insert Air Resources
36Board,begin delete the Electricity Oversight Board,end delete the Independent System
37Operator, the Department of Water Resources,begin delete the California the
38Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority,end delete
39Department of Transportation, and the Department of Motor
40Vehicles.
P6 1(b) In developing the assessments and forecasts prepared
2pursuant to subdivision (a), the
commission shall do all of the
3following:
4(1) Provide information about the performance of energy
5industries.
6(2) Develop and maintain the analytical capability sufficient to
7answer inquiries about energy issues from government, market
8participants, and the public.
9(3) Analyze and develop energy policies.
10(4) Provide an analytical foundation for regulatory and policy
11decisionmaking.
12(5) Facilitate efficient and reliable energy markets.
begin insert
13(6) In collaboration with the State Air Resources Board, do both
14of the following:
15(A) Investigate the potential for conversion technology facilities,
16as defined in Section 40116.2, to assist the state in meeting key
17environmental goals, including, but not limited to, the California
18Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing
19with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the
20Public Utilities Code), and the California Global Warming
21Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section
2238500)) of the Health and Safety Code.
23(B) Evaluate the measurable net reductions in greenhouse gas
24emissions anticipated to be realized by utilizing conversion
25technology facilities to manage residual solid waste, based on the
26production of low carbon fuels, diversion of waste materials from
27landfill disposal, and the reduction in the transportation of waste
28to remote disposal facilities.
begin insertSection 25741 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
30amended to read:end insert
As used in this chapter, the following terms have the
32following meaning:
33(a) “Renewable electrical generation facility” means a facility
34that meets all of the following criteria:
35(1) The facility uses biomass, solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind,
36geothermal, fuel cells using renewable fuels, small hydroelectric
37generation of 30 megawatts or less, digester gas, municipal solid
38waste conversion, landfill gas, ocean wave, ocean thermal, or tidal
39current, and any additions or enhancements to the facility using
40that technology.
P7 1(2) The facility satisfies one of the following requirements:
2(A) The
facility is located in the state or near the border of the
3state with the first point of connection to the transmission network
4of a balancing authority area primarily located within the state.
5For purposes of this subparagraph, “balancing authority area” has
6the same meaning as defined in Section 399.12 of the Public
7Utilities Code.
8(B) The facility has its first point of interconnection to the
9transmission network outside the state, within the Western
10Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) service area, and
11satisfies all of the following requirements:
12(i) It commences initial commercial operation after January 1,
132005.
14(ii) It will not cause or contribute to any violation of a California
15environmental quality standard or requirement.
16(iii) It
participates in the accounting system to verify compliance
17with the renewables portfolio standard once established by the
18commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 399.25 of the
19Public Utilities Code.
20(C) The facility meets the requirements of clauses (ii) and (iii)
21in subparagraph (B), but does not meet the requirements of clause
22(i) of subparagraph (B) because it commenced initial operation
23prior to January 1, 2005, if the facility satisfies either of the
24following requirements:
25(i) The electricity is from incremental generation resulting from
26expansion or repowering of the facility.
27(ii) Electricity generated by the facility was procured by a retail
28seller or local publicly owned electric utility as of January 1, 2010.
29(3) If the facility is
outside the United States, it is developed
30and operated in a manner that is as protective of the environment
31as a similar facility located in the state.
32(4) If eligibility of the facility is based on the use of landfill gas,
33digester gas, or another renewable fuel delivered to the facility
34through a common carrier pipeline, the transaction for the
35procurement of that fuel, including the source of the fuel and
36delivery method, satisfies the requirements of Section 399.12.6 of
37the Public Utilities Code and is verified pursuant to the accounting
38system established by the commission pursuant to 399.25 of the
39Public Utilities Code, or a comparable system, as determined by
40the commission.
P8 1(b) “Municipal solid waste conversion,” as used in subdivision
2(a), means a technology that uses a noncombustion thermal process
3to convert solid waste to a clean-burning fuel for the purpose of
4
generating electricity, and that meets all of the following criteria:
5(1) The technology does not use air or oxygen in the conversion
6process, except ambient air to maintain temperature control.
7(2)
end delete
8begin insert(1)end insert The technology produces no discharges of air contaminants
9or emissions, including greenhouse gases as defined in Section
1038505 of the Health and Safety Code.
11(3)
end delete
12begin insert(2)end insert The technology produces no discharges to surface or
13groundwaters of the state.
14(4)
end delete15begin insert(3)end insert The technology produces no hazardous wastes.
16(5)
end delete
17begin insert(4)end insert To the maximum extent feasible,
the technology removes
18all recyclable materials and marketable green waste compostable
19materials from the solid waste stream prior to the conversion
20process and the owner or operator of the facility certifies that those
21materials will be recycled or composted.
22(6)
end delete
23begin insert(5)end insert The facility at which the technology is used is in compliance
24with all applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.
25(7)
end delete
26begin insert(6)end insert The technology meets any other conditions established by
27the commission.
28(8)
end delete
29begin insert(7)end insert The facility certifies that any local agency sending solid
30waste to the facility diverted at least 30 percent of all solid waste
31it collects through solid waste reduction, recycling, and
32composting. For purposes of this paragraph, “local agency” means
33any city, county, or special district, or subdivision thereof, which
34is authorized to provide solid waste handling services.
35(c) “Renewable energy public goods charge” means that portion
36of the nonbypassable system benefits charge required to be
37collected to fund
renewable energy pursuant to the Reliable Electric
38Service Investments Act (Article 15 (commencing with Section
39399) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities
40Code).
P9 1(d) “Report” means the report entitled “Investing in Renewable
2Electricity Generation in California” (June 2001, Publication
3Number P500-00-022) submitted to the Governor and the
4Legislature by the commission.
5(e) “Retail seller” means a “retail seller” as defined in Section
6399.12 of the Public Utilities Code.
7 (f) (1) For the purposes of complying with the California
8Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing
9with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the
10Public Utilities Code), “biomass,”
as used in subdivision (a),
11means the renewable portion of residual solid waste, as defined
12in Section 40182.5, if the facility results in a net reduction of
13greenhouse gas emissions and other air emissions compared to
14the landfill disposal of the same feedstock.
15(2) To quantify the proportion of gross energy produced by a
16facility subject to this subdivision that qualifies as a renewable
17electrical generation facility, the facility at which the technology
18is used shall do either of the following and provide the results to
19the commission:
20(A) Analyze the age of the carbon emitted from the facility.
end insertbegin insert
21(B) Complete an annual waste characterization analysis for all
22materials processed through the conversion process.
begin insertSection 40005 is added to the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert,
24to read:end insert
The Legislature finds and declares that, to spur
26economic development, promote environmental justice by
27managing residual waste near where it is generated, reduce
28greenhouse gas emissions, decrease pollution, groundwater
29contamination, and other environmental impacts associated with
30solid waste disposal, and reduce the state’s dependence on landfill
31disposal, it is the intent of the Legislature to examine the
32development of solid waste conversion technology facilities to
33manage the residual solid waste that cannot feasibly be recycled
34or composted.
begin insertSection 40106 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
36amended to read:end insert
(a) “Biomass conversion” means the controlled
38combustion,begin insert or other conversion technology,end insert when separated from
39other solid waste and used for producing electricity or heat, of the
40following materials:
P10 1(1) Agricultural crop residues.
2(2) Bark, lawn, yard, and garden clippings.
3(3) Leaves, silvicultural residue, and tree and brush pruning.
4(4) Wood, wood chips, and wood waste.
5(5) Nonrecyclable pulp or nonrecyclable paper materials.
6(b) “Biomass conversion” does not include the controlled
7combustion of recyclable pulp or recyclable paper materials, or
8materials that contain sewage sludge, industrial sludge, medical
9waste, hazardous waste, or either high-level or low-level
10radioactive waste.
11(c) For purposes of this section, “nonrecyclable pulp or
12nonrecyclable paper materials” means either of the following, as
13determined by thebegin delete boardend deletebegin insert departmentend insert:
14(1) Paper products or fibrous materials that cannot be
15technically, feasibly, or legally recycled because of the manner in
16which the product or
material has been manufactured, treated,
17coated, or constructed.
18(2) Paper products or fibrous materials that have become soiled
19or contaminated and as a result cannot be technically, feasibly, or
20legally recycled.
begin insertSection 40116.1 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
22amended to read:end insert
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insert end insert “Composting” means the controlled or
24uncontrolled biological decomposition of organic wastes.
25begin insert(b)end insertbegin insert end insertbegin insert“Composting” includes aerobic decomposition and
26anaerobic decomposition of organic waste.end insert
begin insertSection 40116.2 is added to the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert,
28to read:end insert
“Conversion technology” means a technology that
30uses noncombustion thermal, chemical, biological, or mechanical
31conversion processes, or a combination thereof, to produce
32marketable products, including, but not limited to, fuels, chemicals,
33and electricity, from any carbonaceous material, including, but
34not limited to, any of the following:
35(a) Dedicated energy crops.
36(b) Agricultural crop residues.
37(c) Bark, lawn, yard, and garden clippings.
38(d) Leaves, silvicultural residue, and tree and brush pruning.
39(e) Wood, wood chips, and wood waste.
40(f) Nonrecyclable pulp or nonrecyclable paper material.
P11 1(g) Waste fats, oils, and greases.
2(h) Residual solid waste.
begin insertSection 40117 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
4amended to read:end insert
“Gasification” means a technology that uses a
6noncombustion thermal process to convert solid waste to a clean
7burning fuel for the purpose of generating electricity, and that, at
8minimum, meets all of the following criteria:
9(a) The technology does not use air or oxygen in the conversion
10process, except ambient air to maintain temperature control.
11(b)
end delete
12begin insert(a)end insert The technology produces no discharges of air contaminants
13or emissions, including greenhouse gases, as defined in subdivision
14(g) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code.
15(c)
end delete
16begin insert(b)end insert The technology produces no discharges to surface or
17groundwaters of the state.
18(d)
end delete19begin insert(c)end insert The technology produces no hazardous waste.
20(e)
end delete
21begin insert(end insertbegin insertd)end insert To the maximum extent feasible, the technology removes
22all recyclable materials and marketable green waste compostable
23materials from the solid waste stream prior to the conversion
24process and the owner or operator of the facility certifies that those
25materials will be recycled or composted.
26(f)
end delete
27begin insert(e)end insert The facility where the technology is used is in compliance
28with all applicable laws, regulations,
and ordinances.
29(g)
end delete
30begin insert(f)end insert The facility certifies to thebegin delete boardend deletebegin insert departmentend insert that any local
31agency sending solid waste to the facility is in compliance with
32this division and has reduced, recycled, or composted solid waste
33to the maximum extent feasible, and thebegin delete boardend deletebegin insert departmentend insert makes
34a finding that the
local agency has diverted at least 30 percent of
35all solid waste through source reduction, recycling, and
36composting.
begin insertSection 40182.5 is added to the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert,
38to read:end insert
“Residual solid waste” means material that remains
40after all marketable recyclable materials and compostable
P12 1materials have been separated from a solid waste received by a
2solid waste facility, to the maximum extent feasible, including, but
3not limited to, by a curbside source separation program, a
4materials recovery facility, or another process.
begin insertSection 40194 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
6amended to read:end insert
“Solid waste facility” includes a solid waste transfer
8or processing station, a composting facility,begin insert a conversion
9technology facility that processes residual solid waste,end insert a
10gasification facility, a transformation facility, and a disposal
11facility. For purposes of Part 5 (commencing with Section 45000),
12“solid waste facility” additionally includes a solid waste operation
13that may be carried out pursuant to an enforcement agency
14notification, as provided in regulations adopted by thebegin delete boardend delete
15begin insert departmentend insert.
begin insertSection 40201 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
17amended to read:end insert
“Transformation” meansbegin insert theend insert incinerationbegin delete, pyrolysis, begin insert of solid
19distillation, or biological conversion other than compostingend delete
20waste, with or without the recovery of energyend insert. “Transformation”
21does not include composting, gasification,begin delete orend delete biomass conversionbegin insert,
22or conversion technologyend insert.
begin insertSection 43036 is added to the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert,
24to read:end insert
(a) A solid waste facility shall not accept recyclable
26or compostable materials, except for the purposes of beneficially
27using those materials, as approved by the local enforcement
28agency, or for the purposes of temporarily storing the materials
29for later transport to another facility.
30(b) A solid waste disposal facility shall only accept residual
31solid waste for disposal or processing.
begin insertSection 44017 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
33amended to read:end insert
The enforcement agency shall include, in thebegin insert solid
35waste facilitiesend insert permitbegin delete of any solid waste facility designed to begin insert for a conversion
36convert solid waste into energy or synthetic fuelsend delete
37technology facility processing residual solid wasteend insert, a provision
38begin delete whichend deletebegin insert thatend insert requires the use of operating procedures at the facility
39to prevent
hazardous waste from entering the conversion process.
begin insertSection 50001 of the end insertbegin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert is
2amended to read:end insert
(a) Except as provided by subdivision (b), after a
4countywide or regional agency integrated waste management plan
5has been approved by the Department of Resources Recycling and
6Recovery pursuant to Division 30 (commencing with Section
740000), a person shall not establish or expand a solid waste facility,
8as defined in Section 40194, in the county unless the solid waste
9facility meets one of the following criteria:
10(1) The solid waste facility is a disposal facility or a
11transformation facility, the location of which is identified in the
12countywide siting element or amendment to that element, which
13has been approved pursuant to Section 41721.
14(2) The solid waste facility is a facility that is
designed to
15recover for reuse or recycling at least 5 percent of the total volume
16of material received by the facility, and that is identified in the
17nondisposal facility element that has been approved pursuant to
18Section 41800 or is included in an update to that element.
19 (3) The facility is a conversion technology facility processing
20residual solid waste and is identified and described in, or found
21to conform with, the countywide integrated waste management
22plan. The conformance finding shall be in accordance with a
23procedure for a finding of conformance that is set forth in the
24countywide integrated waste management plan, or that is formally
25adopted on or before December 31, 2014, by the task force created
26pursuant to Section 40950.
27(b) Solid waste facilities other than
those specified in paragraphs
28(1)begin delete andend deletebegin insert,end insert
(2)begin insert, and (3)end insert of subdivision (a) shall not be required to
29comply with the requirements of this section.
30(c) The person or agency proposing to establish a solid waste
31facility shall prepare and submit a site identification and description
32of the proposed facility to the task force established pursuant to
33Section 40950. Within 90 days after the site identification and
34description is submitted to the task force, the task force shall meet
35and comment on the proposed solid waste facility in writing. These
36comments shall include, but are not limited to, the relationship
37between the proposed solid waste facility and the implementation
38schedule requirements of Section 41780 and the regional impact
39of the facility. The task force shall transmit these comments to the
40person or public agency proposing establishment of the solid
waste
P14 1facility, to the county, and to all cities within the county. The
2comments shall become part of the official record of the proposed
3solid waste facility.
4(d) The review and comment by the local task force shall not
5be required for an update to a nondisposal facility element.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant
7to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
8a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service
9charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or
10level of service mandated by this act or because costs that may be
11incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred
12because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a
13crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or
14infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government
15
Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of
16Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
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