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considered by the task force, like fees for paper bags, were not adopted.] Palo Alto adopted a mitigated negative declaration (MND) in support of its ban on single use plastic bags by supermarkets. Palo Alto's ordinance was subsequently challenged by manufacturing and grocery store groups, which argued that the MND did not sufficiently consider the significant environmental effects. Palo Alto settled the lawsuit, and as part of the settlement agreement, Palo Alto agreed to carry-out CEQA analysis if any other such regulations were considered by the city. Palo Alto since prepared an EIR, and that city's ban on plastic bags went into effect in Sept. 2009. San Jose. An EIR was prepared by San Jose in 2009, and that city is still having community meetings to discuss a possible ban on plastic bags. San Jose's regulation would apply to all retailers but exclude restaurants; exempt non profit and social service organizations; exempt the use of "green" paper bags, containing at least 40% recycled content and work with retail industry on whether a 10 or 25 cent fee for retailers to cover additional costs of "green" paper bags is appropriate; be effective no earlier than December 31, 2010; and exempt bulk or off the shelf purchases of plastic or paper bags. Berkeley. This city is planning to prepare an EIR to evaluate a proposed ban on plastic bags. Manhattan Beach. That city's ban on plastic bags was also challenged by manufacturing groups for failure to prepare an EIR. The trial court and court of appeals ruled in favor of the manufacturing groups, finding that they raised a "fair argument" that the ban would create environmental effects from the result of mandating paper bags, such as greater greenhouse gas emissions. Of note is that the California Supreme Court recently has agreed to hear this case, which will establish a definitive ruling about whether plastic bag bans need an EIR. Alameda County Waste Management Authority. The Authority's 2008A /ameda County Waste Characterization Studydetermined that 9.9% of waste disposed of in the County is plastics, and plastic bags represent about 0.13% of the total waste stream. In April of this year, Authority staff recommended to the Recycling Board's Programs Planning Committee that consideration of a County-wide ban on single use plastic bags be scheduled for the end of 2011, prior to mandatory statewide commercial recycling going into effect in July 2012. Authority staff specifically noted an interest in waiting to see how the plastic bag ban approaches in San Jose and southern California are resolved. Green Cities California's Report on Single -Use and Reusable Bags. As cities were challenged for failure to prepare an EIR for the adoption of bans on plastic bags, Green Cities California retained ICF International of San Francisco to prepare a compilation of existing research regarding the matter that could then be used by local communities considering such a ban. Green Cities California's Master Environmental Assessment on Single-Use and Reusab /e Sags (MEA) was released this March. The MEA discusses that "Nearly 20 billion single -use high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic grocery bags are used annually in California, and most end up in landfills or as litter with plastic bags having the greatest impact on litter. Next, single use paper bags have "significantly larger greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and results in greater atmospheric acidification, water consumption, and ozone production that plastic bags." Then, single -use biodegradable bags "have greater impact at manufacturing, resulting in more GHG emissions and water consumption than conventional plastic bags with questionable biodegrading success. And last, reusable plastic or cloth bags "have significantly lower environmental impacts, on a per use basis" assuming that they are used several times. The MEA 3 Green Cities California's Master Environmental Assessment on Single -Use and Reusable Bags, pg. 15. Page 4 of 9