For a complete list of all upcoming CASA and industry events, visit the CASA calendar of events.
CASA Continues to Pursue An Effective Nutrient Strategy for California
The appropriate approach to managing and regulating nutrients in California streams and rivers was the focus of several CASA activities in September. On September 11, 2013 CASA convened a workshop to discuss an alternative approach to nutrient management in California and the process for incorporating the “CASA Alternative” into any nutrient policy developed by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board). Management of nutrients, namely nitrogen and phosphorus, is a focus of water quality regulatory efforts at the state and federal levels. Read more.
Draft Cal Recycle Regulations Address CASA’s Concerns
CalRecycle released a new draft of its compost and anaerobic digestion regulations. The agency has addressed almost all of the remaining concerns included in CASA’s comment letter. There were no substantive changes to the POTW exclusion language for accepting hauled in anaerobically digestible organic waste (which is good news), but also no changes for the placeholder language for stand-alone digesters at POTWs, which we had requested. Read more.
CASA Supports Standards for Biomethane Pipeline Injection
On September 5, 2013, CASA submitted an opening brief to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) relating to the implementation of AB 1900. Adopted in 2012, AB 1900 directed the CPUC to develop health standards and pipeline integrity standards to facilitate the injection of biomethane into common carrier pipelines of the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs). Read more.
Organic Waste Permit Streamlined
State Water Board Executive Director Tom Howard is sending a letter to every California POTW that holds an NPDES permit WDR regarding the receipt of hauled in organic waste for anaerobic digestion at POTWs. The letter culminates a multi-year effort by CASA working with the SWRCB, CalRecycle and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to streamline the permitting process and to ensure that this activity is regulated by only a single agency rather than all of them. Read more.
CASA and Co-Plaintiffs File Brief in Kern County Measure E Litigation
On September 23, 2013, CASA and its co-Plaintiffs in litigation challenging the Kern County ordinance banning biosolids land application filed an answer brief in the California Supreme Court in response to Kern County’s opening brief filed late last month. In June, the California Supreme Court granted Kern County’s Petition for Review of the decision published earlier this year. The decision was very favorable to CASA and its co-Plaintiffs and prevented Kern County from enforcing Measure E, the initiative ordinance banning the land application of biosolids in the county. Read more.
Solano County Waste Importation Battle Continues
On a related note, the Plaintiffs seeking to enforce the Solano County waste importation ordinance recently filed a petition for review in the California Supreme Court arguing they should be allowed to pursue enforcement of the County’s de facto ban on out of county solid waste, despite an appellate court ruling that the case is moot. The consolidated appeals in this case involved the question of whether a 1984 Solano County ballot initiative, also titled Measure E, improperly discriminates against out-of-county solid waste by severely limiting the amount of waste that can be imported into the county. In 2011, CASA filed an amicus brief on the merits of the case in the Court of Appeal. The litigation was rendered moot by passage of AB 845 in 201
