Bill
AB 2112
AB 2112 aims to cut net GHGs by expanding soil carbon sequestration and compost use on natural and working lands, linking waste diversion to soil health with reporting and incentiv
Overview:
AB 2112, introduced by Assembly Member Bains and co-sponsored by Jasmeet Bains, seeks to advance California’s climate goals by expanding and integrating soil carbon sequestration and compost-based soil amendments into state climate and waste-management policy. The bill creates the COMPOST Act of 2026, expands natural and working lands targets, and updates reporting requirements for organic waste facilities and waste diversion. It emphasizes nature-based climate strategies, soil health, and the linkage between waste diversion and soil carbon storage.
Main purpose and intent:
- Accelerate carbon sequestration on natural and working lands through soil health practices, including compost application.
- Develop an integrated, nature-based climate strategy that links waste diversion with soil health practices on natural and working lands.
- Ensure robust planning, measurement, and accountability for carbon sequestration and GHG reductions from soil- and compost-related activities.
- Clarify and expand reporting on organic waste processing facilities, including compost handling facilities, to support climate goals.
Key provisions and changes
1) Nature-based climate targets and tracking (Health and Safety Code, amended Section 38561.5)
- Establishes an expert advisory committee with emphasis on soil carbon sequestration expertise.
- Requires targets for natural carbon sequestration and nature-based climate solutions for 2030, 2038, and 2045, integrated into existing scoping plans and state policies.
- Requires standard methods to track GHG emissions, reductions, and carbon sequestration from natural and working lands; accounting must avoid double counting and ensure removals are additional to business-as-usual reductions.
- By Jan 1, 2025, a comprehensive review/update of the Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy is due, detailing actions to date, progress, methods of calculation, community benefits, barriers, and recommendations (including advisory committee input).
- Requires biennial public progress reporting on targets and state expenditures.
2) COMPOST Act of 2026 (new Health and Safety Code Section 38561.9)
- Purpose: Coordinate terrestrial conservation/restoration with organic waste diversion to reduce net GHG emissions and improve soil health via compost on natural and working lands.
- By Jan 1, 2028, develop an integrated nature-based climate strategy linking waste diversion with soil-health practices (including compost on grasslands and priority rangelands) and provide incentives for climate-friendly on-farm compost production and use.
- align recommendations with multiple existing strategies and targets, including a goal to reduce at least 5,000,000 metric tons of GHG emissions statewide annually, and other related policy documents.
- The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency must apply best-available science, and publish the strategy on the agency’s website with annual implementation updates.
3) Waste management reporting and facility capacity (Public Resources Code amended and new)
- Amends Section 41821.4 to require counties/regions to report on organic waste generation, required additional organic waste recycling facility capacity, and identified locations for new or expanded organic waste recycling facilities, including compost-handling facilities.
- Specifies that a “medium compostable material handling facility” and a “small compostable material handling facility” may be included in the identified locations, expanding the scope of facility types considered.
- Inoperative after Aug 1, 2027, but replaced by the new language that takes effect from Aug 1, 2027 and operative by Jan 1, 2028 (for the new reporting framework).
4) Fiscal and local mandate considerations
- If the bill imposes new local costs, reimbursements under state mandate provisions would apply, per existing constitutional requirements.
- The bill does not provide new state appropriations in the fiscal analysis at face value (no appropriation section noted).
Who is affected:
- State agencies: Natural Resources Agency, State Board (California Air Resources Board), Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), California Environmental Protection Agency.
- Local governments: Counties and regional agencies responsible for organic waste reports and facility planning.
- Stakeholders in soil health, composting, organic waste management, and environmental justice communities (as beneficiaries of soil carbon strategies and co-benefits).
- Agricultural and land-management communities, including grasslands and priority rangelands.
Timeline and key dates:
- On or before Jan 1, 2024: Targets for natural carbon sequestration to be determined (note: bill text cites this date; actual legislative timing may reflect amendments).
- By Jan 1, 2025: Review/update of Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy; publication of progress data biennially.
- By Jan 1, 2028: Develop integrated nature-based climate strategy linking waste diversion and soil health; publish strategy and implement updates.
- Aug 1, 2027: Reporting framework for organic waste facilities becomes operative (with new facility types); then Jan 1, 2028 effective operability for the updated framework.
Notes:
- The bill emphasizes maximizing climate benefits via soil amendments, with a strong science basis and explicit coordination among multiple state agencies.
- It codifies a pathway to link composting and organic waste management with measurable climate benefits, potentially influencing future funding, permitting, and program incentives.
This summary captures the bill’s substantive goals, main provisions, affected parties, and implementation timeline. If you’d like, I can provide a section-by-section analysis or compare AB 2112 to current law and existing climate strategies.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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