Sludge Watch ==> Calif: San Bernardino County outline green house gas measures

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

San Bernardino County is now under the gun to outline how they are going to 
stem greenhouse gas emissions.  But just a month ago Hinkley residents were 
begging them to require air quality controls on the proposed massive open 
air sewage sludge compost site.  The site would have as much as 400,000 tons 
of material and each ton would have generated about 35 lbs of methane: a 
potent green house gas.  Wow...that's 14 million pounds of methane released 
into the air.

San Bernardino should require the facility to be fully enclosed.

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County outlines green house gas measures
>From Staff Reports
2007-04-21 22:51:00

SAN BERNARDINO — After state Attorney General Jerry Brown filed suit last 
week against San Bernardino County over “green house gases,” the county has 
fired back by outlining a series of measures the county has taken to stem 
pollution.

“We incorporated measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the new 
(county general) plan because we wanted to take the lead in protecting our 
environment,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Biane.

In the General Plan update, the county included several measures that 
scientists agree will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even though state law 
does not require counties to do so and no guidelines exist defining how 
counties can or should address greenhouse gas emissions in general plans.

County officials say they are initiating economic development programs that 
attract good jobs to the region to reduce the number of long-distance 
commuters.

The General Plan update adopted March 13 includes policies to conserve 
energy, encourage transit and reduce vehicle commutes by developing more 
jobs closer to where people live, officials said in a press release.

That’s why county leaders say they were taken aback by lawsuits filed 
earlier this month by Attorney General Jerry Brown and three environmental 
fundraising groups, who claim the General Plan ignored global warming and 
are seeking to throw out the entire plan.

The landmark legislation recently signed into law, Assembly Bill 32, calls 
upon the California Air Resources Board to create regulations for counties 
to follow. The state board, however, has not yet acted, so there are no AB 
32 regulations currently in place.

“The county stands ready to work in partnership with the attorney general 
and anyone else at the state level on these issues,” Chairman Biane said.

The county Board of Supervisors has directed its Economic Development Agency 
to attract the high-wage, high-skill jobs to reduce the number of commuters 
on local roads. As a result, our region has created 43 percent of all jobs 
in Southern California since 1990. San Bernardino County unemployment in our 
county is now at its lowest level in 42 years, despite our sharp and massive 
growth.

According to Inland Empire economist John Husing, the inland metro area is 
expected to add 260,000 more jobs than Los Angeles County by 2020 and nearly 
match the combined job gains of Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Imperial 
counties.

“The county’s new General Plan meets all the requirements of planning laws 
and environmental impact laws, and the county has no doubt the General Plan 
will withstand any legal challenge,” said Randy Scott, the county’s chief of 
advanced planning and the primary architect of the General Plan update.

The county has virtually zero legal authority over air pollution issues, 
which are wisely regulated by the state on a regional basis.

“That's why the county would welcome constructive dialogue with the attorney 
general rather than costly and time-consuming litigation,” Biane said.

The complete plan is available for the public to view and download from the 
county’s Web site, www.sbcounty.gov

http://www.vvdailypress.com/onset?id=776&template=article.html


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Sludge critics lobby air board
By AARON AUPPERLEE Staff Writer
March 27, 2007 - 7:22AM
Staff photo by Aaron Aupperlee: Terry Williamson addresses the Mojave Desert 
Air Quality Management District governing board and the audience at Monday's 
meeting in Victorville. Barstow City Council member Steve Curran and Rebecca 
Valentine, a repres Hinkley residents push for stricter air regulations

VICTORVILLE - Opponents of the proposed Nursery Products facility near 
Hinkley found another chance to air concerns during a Mojave Desert Air 
Quality Management District's governing board meeting.

"We are here because we are concerned about air quality. We're not against 
composting; we're not against recycling," said Hinkley activist Norman Diaz. 
"It needs to be done, but it needs to be done safely so in 20 to 30 years, 
my kids aren't standing in front of your kids asking, 'What were our parents 
thinking?' "

Many Hinkley residents asked the board to impose stricter air-quality 
regulations before Nursery Products begins building and operating the site. 
The board already promised the California Air Resource Board, a statewide 
air quality board, that they would consider the tougher regulations on or 
before August 2008.

"2008 is too far away," Hinkley resident Terry Williamson said. "Today is 
the day the facility has to be covered or not out there at all."

Approximately 20 Hinkley area residents attended the meeting at the 
district's office in Victorville. After a presentation by Eldon Heaston, the 
executive director of the management district, about what the management 
district can and cannot do, the board heard comments from 13 residents, 
including Chris Seney, project manager for the proposed site.

In February, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors upheld the 
Planning Commission's decision to approve a plan presented by Nursery 
Products to compost biosolids from wastewater treatment plants into 
fertilizer on a 160-acre site near Hinkley. Nursery Products must now 
receive the appropriate permits from various state and local agencies, 
including the Mojave Air Quality Management District, in order to operate 
the facility.

Eldon Heaston, the executive director of the management district, said he 
must grant Nursery Products the proper permits to operate their equipment if 
the facility meets the requirements. The governing board sets the 
requirements, he said, but cannot order Nursery Products to cover the 
facility.

"We can put a RACT (reasonably available control technology) rule in place 
that will set emission limits for that facility," Heaston said.

A reasonably available control technology, according to Heaston, is one that 
reaches the required limit in a cost-effective manner. He said the board 
does not subscribe a specific type of technology, only an emissions limit, 
because the business usually knows how to reach the limit in the best 
manner.

Bob Sagona, vice chair of the board and Apple Valley Town Council member, 
however, attempted offered Seney the chance to cover the facility.

"Would you like to invite the organization (Nursery Products) to voluntarily 
enclose this facility?" he asked. "If you do this, you're going to solve a 
lot of problems."

Seney hesitated and responded that he would take the idea to Nursery 
Products. He said that the mitigations added by the Planning Commission - 
paving the road - and the Board of Supervisors - adding a liner - have 
already raised the cost of the facility by $2 million and covering the 
facility could push it over the threshold.

Sagona said the board does not yet know how far they can reach into this 
project. He requested that the matter be placed on the agenda for the next 
air board meeting. That meeting will be on April 23 at the district's office 
in Victorville.