Long Beach

The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to support a state Senate bill that would speed approval of a proposed trash-to-energy plant here.

The bill, sponsored by state Sens. Ralph Dills (D-Gardena) and Robert G. Beverly (R-Manhattan Beach), would allow the plant to be constructed despite the county’s failure to adopt a new waste management plan required by state law.

The state Waste Management Board refused April 4 to grant approval of the proposed plant, citing a state law that prohibits approval of waste projects in counties that have not modernized their waste management plans.

Los Angeles County’s waste management plan has not been updated since 1977. The county’s plan was originally due in 1981, but the state granted several extensions of its deadline, finally ordering the county to submit a proposal by June 1, 1984.

Because of a dispute between city and county officials over where to locate landfills, the waste management plan is still incomplete.

The Department of Parks and Recreation will distribute about 133,370 pounds of federal surplus cheese and butter to residents age 18 and older who meet governmental income requirements from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today at nine sites.

To be eligible to receive the surplus food, residents must have registered earlier this month.

Information may be obtained by calling Nick Apodaca at 423-7924.