Business News
SACRAMENTO – The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources has approved a bill (SB 697) by North Coast State Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) to expand an existing requirement for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to use compost in the state's highway landscape maintenance program.
“Requiring CalTrans to buy and use California’s compost will help create new markets and expand existing ones,” Wiggins said in her testimony before the committee this afternoon. “This bill also assists the state in reducing the amount of waste being disposed of in landfills, and assists the state in meeting the diversion requirements established by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
“Compost is an effective erosion control and it provides the same benefits as chemical products without the dangers of polluting,” she added.
If approved by the full Assembly and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Bill 697 will mark the first step toward assuring that the state is utilizing existing resources and is effectively recycling compost in an efficient and environmentally sound way.
In addition to erosion control, compost provides a savings of construction expenditures due to quicker vegetation establishment, a savings of future maintenance expenditures due to erosion avoidance, and the opportunity for Caltrans to be seen as a partner in the statewide waste reduction effort.
Compost is the product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of organic material, and can improve soil quality and vegetation, provide erosion control, minimize storm water runoff, and conserve water.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board estimates that organic materials comprise 30% of disposed materials in landfills.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Fair officials are working out the details of a partnership with the newly formed Lake County Vintner's Association to produce a display of as many locally produced wines as possible.
The display will take the place of the commercial wine competition that has been produced by the fair during the past decade.
The number of wines entered in the competition has varied widely from year to year, with as few as 75 wines entered in some years and nearly 300 wines entered in other years.
"We've sometimes had more wines from outside Lake County entered in the competition than wines produced here. We're trying to showcase the local industry through this partnership, and give our patrons a single place to see the huge variety of great wines from Lake County," said Fair CEO Richard Persons.
Competitive classes for amateur wines and beers are still being offered, with cash prizes for winners in a variety of categories.
Information about entering the amateur wine and brewing competitions can be found at the fair's Web site, www.lakecountyfair.com, in the Exhibitor Handbook, which contains information about all of the prize competitions offered at the Lake County Fair.
Fair officials hope the Lake County Vintner's Association display will grow in future years to include a wine tasting opportunity for Fair patrons.
"Wouldn't it be great to be able to attend the fair and view several hundred wines produced right here in your neighborhood, and then purchase tastes of a few wines that you've never tried before?" pondered Persons.
Wine producers interested in participating in the new Lake County Vintner's Association display can contact the fair office at 263-6181 for more information.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
How to resolve AdBlock issue?