Dec 11, 2024 | Governance, Revenue, & Economic Development
The Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) contains funding for counties and service providers to obtain new trucks, cover transportation costs over 50 miles, provide public education around reducing contamination in the recycling system, expand recycling services, and purchase new curbside recycling containers.
The bulk of the funding is scheduled to go out in 2026 and 2027, as waste producers don’t begin paying into the system until July 1, 2025. There’s a total of $81.5 million available, which is a revised amount based on a survey of actual need.
In order to allow your local service providers to directly access funding from the organization operating the RMA, the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), you must complete the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s funding authorization form and return it to DEQ by March 31, 2025. DEQ has provided a copy to staff in every county. Once the authorization form is completed, CAA will reach out to all the parties to complete the final funding agreement.
Counties can also opt to receive funds directly from CAA and then pass them through to your service provider. This will require coordination with DEQ and CAA for reporting.
DEQ has hired 3 new regional Technical Assistance staff to help facilitate RMA implementation. Please reach out to them with any questions. Their contact information is below:
RMA TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS
NORTHWEST
Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, Tillamook, and Washington
Steven Chang, steven.chang@deq.oregon.gov, 971-803-2493
WESTERN
Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill
Telicia Hixson, telicia.l.hixson@deq.oregon.gov, 503-995-9491
EASTERN
Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler
Rachel VanWoert, rachel.vanwoert@deq.oregon.gov, 971-269-7671
Contributed by: Tim Dooley | Legislative Affairs Manager
Jun 27, 2024 | News
The effort to understand government and service provider needs to support recycling system expansion is well underway. The timeline for responding to the survey has been extended to July 26, and consultations will be extended through Sept. 10.
Counties should be able to enter the online survey tool using the email invitation they received from Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), or a printable reference of the survey can be downloaded here.
Based on the inquiries received to date, RRS has created an FAQ that will likely answer many of the questions a local government and/or their service providers might have about the survey. RRS and the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) would like to highlight the following FAQ for local governments:
Q: For areas that are within the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), but outside of the city limits, which entity should respond to anticipate the future needs of these areas? Should cities forecast these needs or counties?
A: Counties and cities across Oregon have taken a different approach to addressing these areas. The project team believes a case-by-case approach to capturing the needs of the unincorporated areas of the UGB can continue to be taken. However, there must be close communication between cities and counties to determine which jurisdiction will be reporting for these areas, as well as Special Designated Areas. It is important that duplication and/or total omission of these areas be avoided.
General Oregon Recycling System Optimization Plan (ORSOP) resources can be found here. Those jurisdictions or service providers with questions or needing help responding to the survey can reach out to RRS at 734-274-9408 or via email at orsop.help@recycle.com.
May 28, 2024 | News
Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the prospective producer responsibility organization for Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), announced the Oregon Recycling System Optimization Project (ORSOP) kick-off. The purpose of this project is to work with local governments and service providers to:
- Reconcile the proposed rule concept priorities with county and city requests;
- Coordinate city and county requests within counties;
- Highlight geographic considerations that need to be taken into account when scheduling investments; and
- Develop a process for incorporating both local government and related service provider feedback.
ORSOP is Phase II of the Local Government Needs Assessment Survey that was submitted by local governments in April 2023. Gathering the information is critical to ensuring that counties receive funding for the service expansion needs they identified in the April 2023 survey. Time is of the essence — there is no prioritization list for when local governments will be contacted by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), and this work needs to be completed by July 2024. RRS has begun reaching out to local governments; now is the time to gather the information to prepare for the upcoming negotiations. With this information, CAA will be able to resubmit a revised program plan that outlines the local government system expansion and new program funding requests, and the schedule for funding those investments over the program plan period.
CAA has contracted with RRS to assist with ORSOP outreach to local governments and service providers over the coming months.
CAA has developed a suite of resources to prepare local governments and their service providers for engagement with RRS. These tools will aid in identifying the type of expansion and opportunities local governments and service providers may want to consider and to help them gather and organize the information that will be requested by RRS.
Contributed by: Jen Lewis-Goff | Legislative Affairs Manager
