CAL RECYCLE

CalRecycle has released a proposed final program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for statewide anaerobic digester facilities for the treatment of municipal organic solid waste. The final program EIR provides a programmatic analysis of potential environmental effects that may result from the development of anaerobic digestion facilities in California. The proposed final program EIR is available online. 

CalRecycle will hold a public meeting on June 21, 2011 to provide an update and overview of the proposed final program EIR and discuss staff recommendations on CEQA findings, certification of the program EIR, and approval of the Anaerobic Digestion Initiative. 

For more information, contact Ken Decio at (916) 341-6313.

Payment in Lieu of Taxes 

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Interior announced the disbursement of the 2011 Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments to counties. More than 1,850 counties and local governments will be receiving payments totaling $375 million. This year’s PILT program is funded at full entitlement levels under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which enacted a five-year authorization for full funding of the PILT program. For information about the PILT Program and the 2011 payments to counties, please visit www.doi.gov/PILT.

A complete list of funding by state and county is online.

The Delta Stewardship Council: The Delta Plan

The fourth draft of the Delta Plan has been released by the Delta Stewardship Council. The draft, which is available here, was the focus of council meetings on Thursday, June 16, as well as June 23 and 24. This draft connects initial findings made in the previous versions to additional recommendations from the second and third draft. Additional drafts and comment periods will extend through the fall before the Council’s expected adoption of a final Delta Plan in November, 2011. More information about the Delta Stewardship Council, can be found on their website.

Energy 

AB 1303 (Williams) – Request for Comments
As Amended April 25, 2011 

AB 1303, by Assembly Member Das Williams, would extend the sunset date from 2012 to 2020 on the Public Goods Charge (PGC) for public interest energy activities and the programs funded by the Renewable Resources Trust Fund (RRTF). The PGC is a non-bypassable surcharge imposed on all retail sales to fund public goods research, development and demonstration (RD&D), and energy efficiency activities. The PGC funds three primary programs, including: 1) Public Interest Energy Research (PIER)–$62.5 million annually, administered by the California Energy Commission (CEC); 2) Renewable Energy Program –$65.5 million annually, administered by CEC; and, 3) Energy Efficiency–$228 million annually, retained by IOUs with PUC oversight. This bill will be heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee on July 5, 2011. 

AB 723 (Bradford) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 17, 2011

AB 723, by Steve Bradford, would extend the sunset date on the public goods charge (PGC) from 2012 to 2016. The bill would extend the PGC for only four more years, as opposed to AB 1303 which would extend the PGC until 2020. This bill will be heard in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee on June 29, 2011.