A State Assembly committee deadlocked Monday over Assemblymember Fiona Ma’s AB 1178, which opponents say would make it easier for Recology to send San Francisco trash by train to Yuba County.
The bill seeks to ban local governments from restricting or limiting importation of garbage from outside the area, apart from enacting special fees.
"I don't believe this is a special-interest bill," Ma reportedly said before the vote. "I have 11 different counties in front of me that export waste to other areas."
Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who voted against the bill, indicated that he was open to changing his vote, even as he said he didn’t like the idea of not allowing local governments to ban garbage from elsewhere.
"I'm a 'no' vote who's open to becoming a 'yes' vote if the language is better," Huffman said.
Yuba County Supervisor Roger Abe said Ma’s bill fails to protect current processes surrounding the use and oversight of landfills.
"AB 1178 makes me unsure whether planning notions will stand up in future with court actions," Abe said.
Richard Paskowitz, who leads YUGAG (Yuba Group Against Gargage) went further. "It defines environmental injustice," Paskowitz said, as he argued that Ma’s bill would makes it easier for wealthier areas to send trash to poorer areas.