BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 498
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB 498 (Lara)
As Amended June 26, 2014
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :34-0
NATURAL RESOURCES 9-0 ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
6-0
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|Ayes:|Chesbro, Dahle, Bigelow, |Ayes:|Alejo, Dahle, Bloom, |
| |Garcia, Muratsuchi, | |Donnelly, Gomez, Ting |
| |Patterson, Skinner, | | |
| |Stone, Williams | | |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, | | |
| |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |
| |Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | |
| |Holden, Jones, Linder, | | |
| |Pan, Quirk, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, | | |
| |Weber | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Adds the production of fuels and the use of
non-combustion thermal conversion technologies to the definition
of "biomass conversion" for purposes of the Integrated Waste
Management Act (IWMA). Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes the use of "non-combustion thermal conversion
technologies" for biomass conversion.
2)Requires a solid waste facility that sends materials to a
biomass conversion facility to ensure that the materials are
limited to those authorized by the IWMA and authorizes solid
waste local enforcement agencies to inspect solid waste
facilities and operations for compliance with this
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requirement.
3)Beginning April 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, requires the
owner or operator of a biomass conversion facility to provide
a report to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
(CalRecycle) with specified information about the facility,
the materials accepted by the facility, and the end user of
ash generated by the facility.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires each local jurisdiction to divert 50% of solid waste
from landfill disposal or transformation by January 1, 2000,
through source reduction, recycling, and composting
activities.
2)Establishes a state policy goal that 75% of solid waste
generated in California be diverted from landfill disposal
through source reduction, recycling, or composting by 2020.
3)Defines "biomass conversion" to mean the controlled
combustion, when separated from other solid waste and used for
producing electricity or heat, of specified biomass,
including, agricultural crop residues, bark, lawn, yard,
garden clippings, leaves, silvicultural residue, tree and
brush pruning, wood, wood chips, and wood waste and
non-recyclable pulp or non-recyclable paper materials.
4)Specifies that biomass conversion does not include the
controlled combustion of recyclable pulp or recyclable paper
materials, or materials that contain sewage sludge, industrial
sludge, medical waste, hazardous waste, or either high-level
or low-level radioactive waste.
5)Under California's Renewables Portfolio Standard, requires
retail sellers of electricity (investor owned utilities,
energy service providers, and community choice aggregators) to
achieve specified renewable energy targets:
a) Twenty percent on average from January 1, 2011 to
December 31, 2013;
b) Twenty-five percent by December 31, 2016; and,
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c) Thirty-three percent by December 31, 2020 and each year
thereafter.
6)Identifies the types of renewable energy that apply toward the
targets, including biodiesel, biomass, biomethane, fuel cells
using renewable fuels, geothermal, hydroelectric, municipal
solid waste, ocean wave, ocean thermal, solar, tidal current,
and wind, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill has minor and absorbable costs to
CalRecycle.
COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill will facilitate
cleaner and more efficient technologies to develop in California
that will convert organic waste to electricity and help the
state reach its 75% waste reduction goal.
The term "conversion technologies" generally refers to a variety
of technologies that process material 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.
Thermochemical conversion processes include high-heat
technologies like gasification and pyrolysis. Thermochemical
conversion is characterized by higher temperatures and faster
conversion rates. It is best suited for lower moisture
feedstocks. These technologies produce ash that must be
disposed.
Biochemical conversion processes include aerobic conversion
(i.e., composting), anaerobic digestion, which is currently
regulated as composting, and anaerobic fermentation (for
example, the conversion of sugars from cellulose to ethanol).
Biochemical conversion processes use lower temperatures and
lower reaction rates. Higher moisture feedstocks are generally
good candidates for biochemical processes. The residues from
these processes can be composted.
Physiochemical conversion involves the physical and chemical
synthesis of products from feedstocks (for example, biodiesel
from waste fats, oils, and grease) and is primarily associated
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with the transformation of fresh or used vegetable oils, animal
fats, greases, tallow, and other suitable feedstocks into liquid
fuels or biodiesel.
Biomass conversion facilities use controlled combustion of
organic material separated from solid waste to produce
electricity or heat. Biomass includes agricultural crop
residues, bark, lawn, yard, garden clippings, leaves,
silvicultural residue, tree and brush pruning, wood, wood chips,
and wood waste and non-recyclable pulp or non-recyclable paper
materials.
CalRecycle is tasked with diverting at least 75% of solid waste
statewide by 2020. Currently, organic materials make up
one-third of the waste stream and food continues to be the
highest single item disposed at over 15% of disposal.
CalRecycle is also charged with implementing its Strategic
Directive 6.1, which calls for reducing organic waste disposal
by 50% by 2020. According to CalRecycle, significant gains in
organic waste diversion are necessary to meet the 75% goal and
implementing Strategic Directive 6.1. Recycling technologies
for organic waste include composting, anaerobic digestion, and
other types of processing that generate renewable fuels, energy,
soil amendments, and mulch. Compost and other soil amendments
that can be produced from organic materials have been shown to
improve soil health by incorporating organic matter, beneficial
micro-organisms, and nutrients and reduce the need for chemical
pesticides and fertilizers. These products also conserve water
by allowing water to penetrate the soil more quickly and
decreasing runoff.
Analysis Prepared by : Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN: 0004412