Transfer Station Planned by James Geluso, Californian Staff Writer Bakersfield Californian, Tuesday, Sept
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Garbage in, garbage out: Transfer station planned BY James Geluso, Californian staff writer Bakersfield Californian, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007 Kern County and Bakersfield took a step toward a new garbage transfer station at a joint meeting Monday. A conversion of the current Mount Vernon green waste station to a full-service transfer station is the best alternative, according to a Kern County study. Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio said there is no step the city and county can take toward emission reductions more significant than implementing this station. Having the station in town would mean garbage trucks would bring their loads to the station, instead of driving them to the Bena landfill 17 miles east of Bakersfield. Larger, cleaner trucks would be used to take the garbage to the landfill. "This will be a good project that will benefit everyone in the Bakersfield area," Supervisor Mike Maggard said. The city and county hope to use grant funding from the state to finance the project, but Rubio said staff must think about how to finance the station if the grant funding doesn't come through. Even with a grant, the cost of operating the solid waste system would be expected to rise about 11 percent, according to Daphne Harley, the county's waste management director. The cost to residents would be lower because of the savings provided by having the transfer station in town, she said. The meeting was peaceful, in stark contrast to the Aug. 20 meeting of a joint city-county committee on transportation. Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall noted that county supervisors had praised city staff and even a city council member for their work. "This is how we work to bring results for the community," Hall said. In other action, the two boards: • Approved the limited use of eminent domain to purchase properties in which the majority of owners is willing to sell, but some of the people with shares of the ownership can't be found. County Supervisor Jon McQuiston cast the sole dissenting vote. • Received a brief and uneventful update on highway projects. County Roads Commissioner Craig Pope said disagreements between the city and the county will be addressed in the environmental studies process. County Planning Director Ted James told the boards that a plan is in the works to preserve the right-of-way for the South Beltway project, a future highway designed to reroute Highway 58 south of Bakersfield. Earth-friendly businesses clean up Nine firms hailed for pollution prevention in S.J. By Reed Fujii - Record Staff Writer Stockton Record, Tuesday, September 18, 2007 STOCKTON - Preventing pollution involves a lot of hard work - whether it's collecting tons of consumer-electronic waste, building an artificial wetland to treat winery wastewater or draining sewage from boats throughout the San Joaquin Delta. But it can be fun, too. Just ask Thornell Washington, co-owner of Septic Brothers, which collects sewage from boat wastewater tanks. He learned Monday that his company is one of nine winners of this year's TOPPS Environmental Excellence Awards. "I'm on cloud 50 right now," Washington said, 50 being that much higher than cloud nine. Not only have Washington and his partner Dennis Vanoni seen heavy demand since launching their service in November, but have gotten an overwhelming response from the boating community. "The people of the Delta have supported us 100 percent," Washington said. "Many people have said, 'You know man, whatever it takes, I just want you guys to stay in business.' " The business partners are discussing buying a second boat to be able to expand service at times when demand gets especially heavy and as a backup, in case of inevitable breakdowns or other problems. "More than anything, I'd like to say thank you to everyone in the Delta because they have been just great to us," Washington said. Named for Targeted Opportunities to Prevent Pollution in San Joaquin County, the TOPPS awards recognize programs that provide environmental, social and/or economic benefits to local businesses and communities. Stockton Mayor Ed Chavez is expected to hand out this year's prizes Wednesday morning at a breakfast sponsored by TOPPS, San Joaquin County and city of Stockton. Officials at Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley, another award winner, said their free electronics waste collection service is growing rapidly. After receiving nearly 500,000 pounds of old television sets, computers, printers, monitors and other inoperative or outmoded gear in 2006, Goodwill is on track to collect 750,000 pounds this year. With 10 regular collection points accepting materials seven days a week, the agency has seen donations of good used clothing and household items rise as well, said Sally Wooden, public relations director. "We thought if it would make it really convenient for you to donate your computer, you might donate the rest of your stuff you no longer need," she said. Other award winners are: » Port of Stockton. Port officials produced videos to educate port employees, dock workers and business managers on reducing storm-water pollution. As a result, the agency has seen a reduction in pollution cleanup and enforcement costs. » Escalon Premier Brands. The tomato processing plant recently retrofitted its four boilers to meet new air pollution standards, rejecting a low-cost alterative in favor of a higher-cost solution with additional environmental and cost savings benefits. The result is emissions that far exceed the new standards and lower energy bills. » Granite Construction Co. The heavy construction specialist makes a diverse effort to recycle waste materials, avoid polluting and toxic materials, cut energy use, employ solar panels and greatly reduce dust emissions from its operations. Its work has reduced materials going to landfills by tons, saved money and improved the community's environment. » LangeTwins Estates. The Lodi vineyard management company and winery has long incorporated a laundry list of sustainable practices in its operations, including integrated pest management, solar energy, cover crops, an artificial wetlands used to treat winery wastewater and riparian habitat restoration. Those efforts have cut chemical runoff, dust pollution, boosted habitat for rare and endangered species, and provided a myriad of economic benefits as well. » City of Ripon. An expansion of City Hall included installing solar panels to generate electricity as well as light-motion sensors throughout the building to turn off lights when no one was present. The solar panels provide at least 20 percent of the building's energy needs during peak months. » Commercial Exchange Club. One employee began collecting recyclable materials from the restaurant, redeeming them in for cash that was donated to a needy family. That inspired managers and other employees, who instituted a more comprehensive program of recycling materials, using environmentally friendly cleaning products and avoiding use of disposable paper plates and cups and plastic utensils. The result is greatly reduced trash volumes and benefits to the family. » Waverly Annex Middle School Behavior Change Program. This program, which works to resolve student behavior and emotional problems and move its young charges back into general school populations, has developed an extensive variety of "reduce, reuse and recycle" programs. Those include a vocational program in which students collect, sort and redeem recyclable materials from two campuses, composting, used-battery collection, clean-up days at local parks and a plastic-bag recycling challenge. Judge dismisses state's lawsuit Federal government should address global warming, ruling states By Howard Mintz, Medianews Staff Tri-Valley Herald, Tuesday, September 18, 2007 A federal judge in San Francisco on Monday poked a gaping hole in California's bid to make the auto industry pay for any contributions it makes to global warming. In a 24-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Martin Jenkins dismissed the state's lawsuit against six automakers, concluding that the federal courts are not the place to resolve the complex issues surrounding global warming. The judge said it is up to Congress and the executive branch to address California's arguments, not judges. The ruling is a major setback for Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has made global warming one of his cornerstone issues since he was elected last year. Even though Brown inherited the global warming lawsuit from his predecessor, Bill Lockyer, he pressed ahead with the controversial case when he took office. California is the only state to sue the auto industry fordamages over global warming, arguing that the "Big Six" auto makers violate the state's public nuisance laws because their vehicles emit greenhouse gases. General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan were named in the lawsuit, which argues that they contribute to a range of environmental problems, including the decline of the Sierra snowpack and threats to wildlife. The lawsuit sought unspecified money damages. Deputy Attorney General Ken Alex, who argued the case for Brown, said he was "disappointed" in the ruling. His office is reviewing whether to appeal it to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "We're not totally surprised a district court wouldn't want to jump in with both feet into a global warming matter," Alex said. Theodore Boutrous Jr., the lead lawyer for the automakers, called Jenkins' ruling "absolutely correct." Michigan backed the auto industry in the case. "We have said all along that global warming presents exceedingly complex policy issues that must be addressed at the national and international levels by Congress and the President, not the federal courts," Boutrous said. Jenkins, in siding with the industry's arguments, found that a lawsuit was a flawed way to deal with the global warming issue because it collided with the federal government's role in environmental regulation, as well as the Bush administration's foreign policy on regulating greenhouse gases.