Organic waste: composting.

Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Air Resources Board, and the Department of Food and Agriculture, to develop and implement policies to aid in diverting organic waste from landfills by promoting the composting of specified organic waste and by promoting the appropriate use of that compost throughout the state. Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Food and Agriculture, with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the State Air Resources Board, to, among other things, assess the state's progress toward developing the organic waste processing and recycling infrastructure necessary to meet the state goals specified in certain state laws and documents. This bill would require those entities to assess the state's progress towards developing the organic waste processing and recycling infrastructure necessary to meet the state goals specified in an additional state law, as provided, and would make other changes in these provisions. Existing law vests air pollution control districts and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources, including from composting facilities. This bill would require an air pollution control district or an air quality management district, for the purposes of permits and long-term emissions reductions relating to a composting facility, to include in calculations for baseline emissions of criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gases the reduction in emissions resulting from not sending those organic materials to a landfill or directly applying them to land. Because the bill would impose new duties on districts, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Various air pollution control district and air quality management district rules define an "essential public service" for their purposes. This bill would specify facilities that are "essential public services" for purposes of the statutes that govern air pollution control districts and air quality management districts and the regulations adopted pursuant to those statutes before or after the enactment of this bill, including composting facilities. 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. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.