Oct 19 - (CA) Dept of Conservation to Outline Further Recycling Cuts in Wake of Schwarzenegger Veto

In an email to California Recycling Program Stakeholders, Deputy Director Jason Marshall has announced that the Department of Conservation will be unveiling further cuts to local government and other recycling and litter reduction programs beyond the 85% funding cuts implemented on July 1. The email read:

"You all know that the Department performed such a review earlier this year at the beginning of the first quarter of FY09-10 and determined that 85% proportionate reductions were necessary to all Recycling Fund expenditures made pursuant to PRC 14581 and 14575. As we start the second quarter of FY09-10, the Division has again reviewed the Fund condition. We have determined that further reductions - beyond those announced a few months ago at the 85% reduction level - will be necessary to ensure the solvency of the Recycling Fund."

The announcement comes less than one week after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation (SB 402) that would have expanded the Beverage Container Recycling Program and substantially eliminated the $200 million-plus funding gap.

The funding shortfall is due, in large-part, to the state's borrowing of more than $270 million from the Beverage Container Recycling Fund the last two years in order to help close a gap in the state's General Fund.

Stakeholders have been invited to an open meeting at the State Department of Conservation where the funding cuts will be announced and discussed:

Tuesday, October 20, 3:30 pm

John Muir Conference Room
20th Floor
Department of Conservation
801 K Street, Sacramento, CA

Follow us on http://twitter.com/cawrecycles - we will be posting updates during the meeting.