BIGGS, CA (MPG) - The Biggs City Council approved a plan to bring the city into full compliance with California’s SB 1383 organic waste regulations, directing staff to formalize inspection, monitoring and enforcement procedures that remain outstanding despite the city’s rural waiver.

City Administrator Nicolas Gauthier told the council the remaining work centers on documentation and procedural requirements. 

“This is mainly administrative,” he said. “It’s going to be record keeping, commercial inspections, contamination monitoring and compliance enforcement procedures.”

City officials said Biggs already operates a three‑cart collection system and has an edible food recovery program in place, but the state evaluates jurisdictions not only on program availability, but on documented proof of compliance, an area where Biggs must now build out systems.

“Most of the compliance is physically being done,” Gauthier said. “The last bit is really just the paperwork trail proving that we’re doing it.”

Jennifer Arbuckle, the program manager for the Edible Food Recovery Working Group, who assists the city with CalRecycle programs, said the state expects jurisdictions to maintain inspection logs, contamination monitoring records, edible food recovery documentation and enforcement tracking. She emphasized that the city must also ensure its hauler provides required monthly reports.

“They just want to see that you have everything in line,” Arbuckle said. “We want to make sure everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to be doing and we have it in a proper file when they come looking.”

Arbuckle said contamination monitoring will include route reviews and checks performed by hauler drivers using truck‑mounted cameras. Those systems flag loads that appear to contain the wrong materials, allowing the city to follow up when needed, she said. 

The council unanimously approved the motion to authorize Gauthier to develop enforcement policy and inspection protocols and to use CalRecycle grant funds to support the work. 

Biggs currently has three open grant cycles totaling $15,000, with additional competitive grants expected.

Gauthier outlined a six‑month timeline to complete the administrative compliance build‑out, including establishing a centralized recordkeeping system, conducting annual commercial inspections, launching formal contamination monitoring, and preparing for potential CalRecycle audits.

Gauthier said the city intends to avoid any compliance issues with the state.