Solid waste: woody biomass: collection and conversion.

Existing law establishes the CalRecycle Greenhouse Gas Reduction Revolving Loan Program, administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to provide loans to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by promoting in-state development of infrastructure or other projects to reduce organic waste or process organic and other recyclable materials into new value-added products. This bill would create a 5-year woody biomass rural county collection and disposal pilot program, to be administered by the department. The bill would require the department, pursuant to the program, to award funding to participating counties with a total population of less than 250,000 for the purpose of conducting community collection days on which individuals could dispose of woody biomass and other source-separated biomass free of charge. The bill would require a county awarded funding under the program to contract with a local compost facility, mulch production facility, or biomass conversion facility to collect and to process or convert the biomass in a way that results in less greenhouse gas emitted than if the biomass had been disposed of. The bill would require the department to report specified program information to the Legislature after the conclusion of the program.