SACRAMENTO – The California Senate will soon vote on legislation by North Coast state Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D – Santa Rosa) to require cities, counties and other entities which ship solid waste out of state to pay the same fee incurred for waste disposed of in-state.

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 8-5 on May 26 to approve the Wiggins bill, SB 730, meaning the measure will next be considered by the full Senate.

Under current law, operators of solid waste disposal facilities are required to pay a "tipping fee" to the state of $1.40 per ton, generating about $50 million per year in revenues. These funds are used by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) to provide grants and loans to local governments, educational, and private entities for projects that reduce waste or clean up waste, as well as to provide technical assistance from the Board to local governments.

SB 730 would require the operators of transfer or processing stations that transfer waste out of the state for disposal to pay the tipping fee of $1.40 per ton on such waste. They currently pay no such fee.

Nearly 750,000 tons of waste were exported to out-of-state landfills in 2000, resulting in a loss of nearly $1 million in revenues generated from the disposal surcharge. Public entities, such as cities and counties, disposing of their solid waste out-of-state are not contributing to the CIWMA.

However, these same jurisdictions are benefiting from those who are contributing to the CIWMA, because they are still eligible to receive funds for grants through the program.

“SB 730 is a revenue-generating measure for the state,” Wiggins said. “It requires jurisdictions that ship their waste out-of-state to pay into the state tipping fee, just like all the other jurisdictions that dispose of their waste in-state.

“This bill is about equity, and it will result in the state receiving anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million a year, from jurisdictions that have avoided paying the tipping fee, to fund the Waste Board’s grant and loan programs.

“Cities and counties can continue to ship their waste out of state,” Wiggins added “This bill ensures that all jurisdictions are eligible for grants and loans provided by the Waste Management Board, if all jurisdictions pay into the fund.”