Where to Speak Out on Proposed Bag Ban

You've heard the rumblings about a possible plastic bag ban.

Two dozen cities along the Peninsula and in the South Bay, including Milpitas, have banded together to conduct public hearings on proposed paper and plastic bag bans.

Earlier this month, Milpitas City Council voted to join San Mateo County on an environmental impact report (EIR) for a possible future ban on plastic bags within the city. The county is paying for the EIR, asking cities in Santa Clara County to join in and to provide some staff time in return.

Business owners and individuals are invited to speak about the possible impact of regulating the use of paper and plastic bags, as cities across the Bay Area consider individual legislation.  The public is invited to provide input during the comment period of the review about how the ordinance would affect the public and businesses

Cities and counties around the Bay Area considering plastic and paper bag bans, have also had to weigh the expense of conducting an EIR, since pro-plastic groups sued San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose under the California Environmental Quality Act for failing to do so before passing a plastic bag ban. The joint effort allows small communities to have an EIR.

The hearings began April 18. Milpitas will be May 3.

The following 24 communities have agreed to be a part of the Environmental impact Report process: 

Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Campbell, Colma, Cupertino, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Milpitas, Mountain View, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, and Woodside.

Not every city will host a public hearing, but seven locations were chosen, as shown on the schedule is below:

April 18    

Ted Adcock Community/Senior Center

April 25, 6 p.m.

April 26

6 p.m.

May 2

6 p.m.

May 3

2 p.m.

May 3

6 p.m.