Title
Environmental Management Department recommending the Board:
1) Accept a payment program award funded through the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, from the State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program, Fiscal Year 2019-20, in the amount of $39,244, for the term, upon award and acceptance of funds, through March 1, 2022; and
2) Delegate authority to the Environmental Management Department Director, or designee, to execute all payment program-related documents, including, but not limited to, all reports and associated documents necessary to secure and expend the funds for the purpose of implementing the Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program if the documents do not affect the amount or term of the payment program.
FUNDING: State of California, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program, Fiscal Year 2019-20 funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 14581(a)(3)(A) of the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, the State of California, as administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), distributes $10,500,000 to eligible cities and counties specifically for implementing programs for beverage container recycling and litter cleanup activities. The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for beverage container recycling in an effort to reach and maintain an 80% recycling rate for all California refund value beverage containers such as aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal.
Each county is eligible to receive $10,000, or an amount calculated by CalRecycle on a per capita basis, whichever is greater. The per capita calculation is based upon the population as of January 1, 2019, in the unincorporated area of a county. Using this criteria, the County’s Environmental Management Department (Environmental Management) was determined to be eligible for the Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program (Payment Program), Fiscal Year 2019-20, in the amount of $39,244.
CalRecycle administers various payment programs and grants, and provides oversight for California’s waste handling and recycling programs, which are managed at the local level by cities and counties. CalRecycle’s procedures for administering payment programs and grant applications require the applicant’s governing body to declare by resolution certain authorizations related to the administration of these funds. The Board’s acceptance of the funds under this Payment Program will ensure Environmental Management is able to continue to contribute towards meeting the State’s beverage container recycling rate goal at the local level.
In accordance with the Payment Program Guidelines, Fiscal Year 2019-20 (Attachment B), eligible activities/costs using funds under this Payment Program include, but are not limited to:
• New or existing curbside recycling programs;
• Neighborhood drop-off recycling programs;
• Public education promoting beverage container recycling;
• Litter prevention and cleanup where the waste stream includes beverage containers that will be recycled;
• Cooperative regional efforts among two (2) or more cities and counties, or both;
• Other beverage container recycling programs; and
• Supporting AB 341 Mandatory Commercial Recycling requirements, including:
o Infrastructure for businesses to recycle beverage containers;
o Support for new or existing beverage container recycling programs for multi-family residential dwellings; and
o Public education and outreach that includes a beverage container recycling component.
On January 1, 2020, Environmental Management submitted an online application and Funding Request Certification to CalRecycle for this Payment Program (Attachment C). On June 17, 2020, email notification was received from CalRecycle advising that payments will be issued within approximately four(4) to six (6) weeks for the Payment Program, Fiscal Year 2019-20, with a term of upon award and acceptance of funds through March 1, 2022 (Attachment D).
In order to achieve the goals established for this Payment Program, Environmental Management intends to use the awarded funds for the following programs and/or activities, including, but not limited to:
• Providing funding for Environmental Management’s litter abatement crew, including the purchase of supplies, for litter cleanup activities on County roadways that regularly contain bottles and cans;
• Purchasing specialty waste and recycling receptacles in order to assist businesses throughout the County to gain compliance with AB 827; and
• Developing and implementing various programs and/or activities to prevent litter.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Policy A-6, the Board is the sole authority for accepting grant awards and approving grant agreements. After acceptance of a grant award and approval of the grant agreement, the Board may delegate authority to execute all documents, including, but not limited to, the grant funding agreement, amendments, request for payment, reports, and all other associated documents necessary to secure and implement the approved grant payment program.
The recommended acceptance of these funds authorizes the Environmental Management Director, or designee, to execute all reports and associated documents necessary to secure and expend the funds for the purpose of implementing this Payment Program. Environmental Management will continue to obtain Board approval for the acceptance of all funds pursuant to Board Policy A-6.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could reject the acceptance of these Payment Program funds. This would result in the forfeiture of available Payment Program funds awarded to the County and would further inhibit Environmental Management’s ability to promote beverage container recycling through purchasing recycling containers, as well as prevention and litter cleanup activities in the County, to assist with meeting and maintaining the State’s 80% beverage container recycling rate.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The Board has previously accepted the following funds opportunities from CalRecycle under the City/County Payment Program:
• File No. 19-1161 - Fiscal Year 2018-19 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 18-1253 - Fiscal Year 2017-18 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 17-1100 - Fiscal Year 2016-17 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 17-0015 - Fiscal Year 2015-16 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 15-0208 - Fiscal Year 2014-15 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 14-1045 - Fiscal Year 2013-14 City/County Payment Program
• File No. 17-0961 - Resolution Authorizing Payment Program Applications
• File No. 20-0465 - Resolutions Authorizing Payment Program Applications
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Payment Program Guidelines.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Costs associated with this item. A portion of these Payment Program funds were included in the Fiscal Year 2020/21 budget and the remaining funds will be included in the Fiscal Year 2021/22 budget. No matching funds are required for this Payment Program.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Greg Stanton, REHS, Director
Environmental Management Department