March 19, 2025
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation
“Thank you Chair and members of the committee for your concern and highlighting the SB54 delay in regulations and the impact that it has. My confusion in this matter is that it was the Governor’s office that delayed the regulations from moving forward, not Cal Recycle. The Governor’s office claimed regulations were too expensive with no further details. Unclear on what things the regulations made more expensive that wasn’t already in the bill.
So to the public it seems there were some closed door meetings in the very last minute and the Governor’s office suddenly had a change of heart. SB54 is unique, it is the only EPR bill across the nation with reuse and refill targets. Which sends a clear message that California recognized the environmental impact reuse and refill has on our plastic pollution problem. With these regulations, they were not perfect. For example, we felt the method for calculating source reduction through reuse and refill was overly complex and hindered industry from innovating in that direction. But delaying the process without any further details really doesn’t help us move forward together collaboratively.
I am disappointed in the Governor’s office, how we handled this, and it has broken much trust in the collaborative process. Thank you so much. I hope we can make lemonade with this with Zoe at the head. Thank you.”
Shira Lane, CEO of Atrium916