Agenda Item Wording:
title
Acceptance of Senate Bill (SB) 1383 Local Assistance Grant - Confirm acceptance and appropriate $378,430 of grant funds from the Senate Bill (SB) 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program toward the purchase of one front load solid waste truck and recycling and food waste education.
body
Deadline for Action: 4/1/2024
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number: Jason Serpa, 559-713-4533, jason.serpa@visalia.city Nick Bartsch, 559-713-4052, nick.bartsch@visalia.city
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended that the City Council confirm acceptance and appropriate $378,430 of grant funds from the Senate Bill (SB) 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
Background Discussion:
SB 1383 triggered the City’s Solid Waste Department to purchase more green waste and food waste bins in order to comply with regulations. Since 2020, the City has purchased over 500 green bins, and many of these were used as food waste bins to accommodate restaurant food waste laws and newly developed restaurants within the City. The current restaurant food waste route approaches 140 bins per day and needs help to sustain operations. A normal commercial route can pick up an average of 96-105 bins per day depending on the amount of waste in the containers.
After the legislation of SB 1383, the City hired 2 additional drivers in the commercial division along with an additional driver that could fill in for either residential or commercial. These drivers were justified by the number of additional bins the City had to purchase and equip businesses with to conform to these state mandates. At the time, because the City had sufficient backup trucks, these drivers were hired and put into those trucks, putting off the need for additional units until availability and needs arose. Utilizing available grant funds, the purchase of a new truck will help solidify the commercial fleet in respect to food waste route needs.
SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant:
In the State of California’s FY 2021-22 Budget Act, $60,000,000 was allocated to be used to provide grants to local jurisdictions to assist in the implementation of regulations adopted by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. Senate Bill (SB) 1383 Lara, Statutes of 2016, set methane emissions reduction targets for California in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants.
The SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program provides funding to assist local jurisdictions meet the following requirements:
• Provide Organics collection services to all residents and businesses.
• Conduct education and outreach to the community.
• Secure access to recycling and edible food recovery capacity.
• Establish edible food recovery program.
• Procure recyclable and recovered organic products.
• Monitor compliance and conduct enforcement.
In May of 2023, the City was awarded a first round of funding in the amount of $183,590 to be used for the purchase of green recycling bins. In this second round of funding, the City of Visalia Solid Waste staff applied for CalRecycle Local Assistance Grant funding to contribute toward a purchase of a new solid waste truck to assist with food waste routes. Additionally, food waste and recycling education is included in the budget detailed below.
Fiscal Impact:
The items included in the CalRecycle approved grant budget is as follows:
The $15,000 allocated for education and outreach will be used to create new composting and food waste signage for the solid waste trucks. The equipment budget is $363,430 with $20,000 being allocated to provide recycling receptacles to businesses within the City limits to promote recycling. The remaining $343,430 will partially fund a new solid waste truck with an estimated cost of $475,000. This would leave approximately $131,570 to come from the Solid Waste Enterprise fund after applying the grant proceeds to the truck purchase. Due to price fluctuations, staff will seek approval to appropriate the additional funding when staff returns to award a contract to purchase the truck.
The funds appropriated within this staff report will be allocated from the Solid Waste Enterprise fund (441) for Fiscal Year 2023/2024, and no General Fund money is being requested for this program budget.
Prior Council Action: May 2023 - Council acceptance of first round of grant funds - $183,590
Other: N/A
Alternatives: Decline the $378,430 grant and continue to use the Solid Waste Enterprise to fund future purchases of education materials and fleet growth.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to confirm acceptance and appropriation of a $378,430 grant from the Senate Bill (SB) 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
end
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: CalRecycle Resolution for Signing Authority, Grant Terms and Conditions