On July 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced it will hold a virtual public workshop to support the development of the California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program authorized by Senate Bill (SB) 253, as amended by SB 219. See the link below.
CARB staff will provide an update on regulatory concepts for Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting requirements for 2027 and beyond, including data assurance. Staff will also discuss CARB’s proposed approach for Scope 3 emissions reporting beginning in 2027 (summarized below).
The workshop will be held virtually on Zoom (only) on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (Pacific Time). Register for virtual attendance.
Workshop materials are to be posted to the California Corporate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting and Climate Related Financial Risk Disclosure Programs webpage on July 20, 2026. Staff plans to take verbal feedback during the workshop, with written feedback to be sent to .
CARB’s Proposed Options for Scope 3 Reporting (March 23, 2026, Workshop)
Option 1: Starting in 2027, all Scope 3 categories
Option 2: Industry Sector Phase-In for 2027
Option 3: Category Phase-In for 2027
Recap of Program
The California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program under SB 253 requires U.S.-based companies, with total annual revenues exceeding one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) that do business in California, to annually disclose their Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions for their prior fiscal year. SB 253 requires that the initial (first-year) annual emissions disclosures in 2026 address Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and, in subsequent years (beginning in 2027), include Scope 3 emissions.
For Details
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We welcome you to join our next SCS Engineers free, educational webinar, Fire Prevention & Emergency Response Planning for Solid Waste Facilities, on Thursday, July 16th. Our panelists include real-world examples, safety considerations, and strategies for improving fire response and prevention of surface fires, which can greatly reduce risk to staff and the facility. We leave plenty of time for you to ask questions during our open forum Q-and-A period.
Our comprehensive session highlights the critical need for specialized surface fire risk management in the solid waste industry, focusing on prevention, preparedness, and coordinated response to protect facilities, personnel, and the environment.
Our webinar is tailored for landfill and solid waste facility operators, owners, safety coordinators, community liaisons, agency staff, and insurers. Join us to see your facilities through a new lens and identify ways to use local infrastructure and essential services more productively.
Join SCS Engineers as Platinum Sponsors at the WSWRA 2026 Annual Conference—an engaging week of insightful presentations, valuable networking, and meaningful discussions with waste and recycling professionals from across the region. This annual gathering brings together industry leaders, technical experts, and peers to share knowledge, explore innovative solutions, and strengthen connections that move the industry forward.
As a longtime partner tosolid waste and recycling organizations, SCS is excited to support this year’s program featuring:
• Engaging speakers and technical sessions
• Insightful vendor exhibits
• Opportunities to connect with peers and reconnect with colleagues
Be sure to visit the SCS booth to meet our team and learn how we can support your environmental and engineering needs.
We’re also proud to share that members of our RMC team—Melissa Russo and Sean Gordon—will be speaking on Wednesday, August 18th.
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, connect with industry experts, and be part of the conversation shaping the future of waste and recycling.
Click here for more details and registration information
Join solid waste and infrastructure experts on July 15th as ASCE and SCS Engineers explore emerging issues and critical solutions in solid waste infrastructure. The event, Making the Grade: Solid Waste, follows the release of ASCE’s 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, and will examine how solid waste infrastructure is performing across key criteria including safety, resilience, capacity, and innovation.
The conversation will highlight report findings, supporting rationale for the solid waste grade, and a look ahead to key solutions. Additionally, panelists will discuss on-the-ground experiences linking the report to practitioner experience.
Featured panelists include:
Register Here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_O0ViL8AuQkicEy7P9lrFgw#/registration
SCS Engineers will be at the 40th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School (EPSS) conference. This program takes place July 21–24, 2026, at the JW Marriott Marco Island in Marco Island, Florida. Bringing together more than 1,200 attorneys, consultants, engineers, government officials, developers, and industry professionals to explore the latest developments in environmental permitting, energy, and growth management across Florida.
The conference features 300+ expert speakers, 80+ interactive breakout sessions, and an exhibitor program showcasing innovative solutions and emerging trends. Attendees can earn continuing education credits while gaining practical insights into evolving regulations, policies, and best practices.
SCS is proud to have a team of experts attending the conference including, Brittney Odom, Gina Rodriguez, Marco Hernandez, Chris King, Steven Freund, Som Kundral, Neil Campbell, Joshua Blanco, Justin Craig, Leslie Smith, Tom Mesk, and Katie Megar. Come see us at Booth #203.
Brittney Odom will be presenting two sessions during the conference: Land and Golf Course Redevelopment: Opportunities and Challenges on Wednesday, July 22 and Remediation and Site Closure Strategies: Practical Solutions to Complex Sites on Friday, July 24. These sessions will explore key environmental considerations, redevelopment opportunities, and practical approaches for addressing complex site challenges. Connect with the SCS team to learn how we help clients navigate environmental permitting requirements, site redevelopment, remediation, and regulatory compliance while delivering sustainable, practical solutions.
SCS is also proud to sponsor the inaugural Roots of Adventure Kids Event, a hands-on environmental education experience hosted in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. Designed for children of registered EPSS attendees, the program offers guided boat tours, estuary touch tank experiences, interactive exhibits, and opportunities to learn about wildlife, water quality, mangroves, and coastal ecosystems through engaging activities.
On June 24, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a 3-month extension in the reporting deadline for covered companies for their first year reporting of corporate Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The due date has been moved from August 10 to November 10, 2026.
The extension will be reflected in an updated regulatory proposal to give companies additional time following the formal adoption of CARB’s pending SB 253 and SB 261 regulations. The CARB Board approved the initial regulation on February 26, 2026.
CARB also announced that it will propose limited changes to the regulation to clarify certain requirements and will make them available for comment as part of a forthcoming 15-day public comment period.
Because this step may delay the finalization of this regulatory package, CARB proposed, as part of this 15-day change, a three-month deferral of the reporting deadline. The new proposed reporting deadline of November 10 will help ensure reporting entities have additional clarity following approval of the final regulation before reporting is due.
Recap of Program
The California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, established by SB 253 (codified in HSC § 38532), requires U.S.-based companies, with total annual revenues exceeding one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) that do business in California, to annually disclose their Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions for their prior fiscal year. SB 253 requires that the initial (first-year) annual emissions disclosures in 2026 address Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and, in subsequent years (beginning in 2027), include Scope 3 emissions.
For Details Visit – California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting: Notice of Upcoming Rulemaking Update to Further Clarify Requirements and Deferring 2026 Reporting Deadline
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SCS Engineers announces two leadership changes in its Southwest solid waste and engineering divisions. The firm promotes Eric Sonsthagen, P.E., to Project Director and Engineering Lead. After a transition period from Srividhya (Vidhya) Viswanathan, P.E., to Eric, Vidhya will lead the solid waste group.
As part of the Southwestern Business Unit’s broader leadership plan, SCS Engineers will transition several senior roles over the next 18 months to support the next generation of company leaders. Senior Vice President Patrick S. Sullivan, REPA, CPP, BCES, said the company designed these transitions to position SCS and its clients for continued growth and long-term success.
Eric Sonsthagen brings two decades of experience leading environmental and solid waste projects for public and private clients. He designs, reviews, and permits solid waste facilities; oversees landfill gas control and mitigation systems; modifies gas collection and control systems; and manages landfill cell construction and closure projects.
As Project Director and Engineering Lead, Sonsthagen will work across SCS’s specialty business divisions, drive project execution, strengthen the engineering division, and advance strategic priorities. He adds deep expertise in landfill gas engineering and modeling, beneficial reuse evaluations, air permitting, emissions inventories, compliance evaluations, and environmental investigations.
Vidhya Viswanathan currently serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Engineering for SCS Engineers’ Southwest region and will assume leadership of the solid waste group. She has more than two decades of experience in solid waste management, landfill gas engineering, and compost facility design. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oklahoma and is based in San Diego, CA.
“These are important leadership transitions for the next generation of SCS leaders and to assure continued quality delivery for our clients,” Sullivan said.
Eric and Vidhya are both available by contacting SCS Engineers and on LinkedIn.
Climate change experts from SCS Engineers regularly work with members of the Meat Institute’s Sustainability Committee; this article highlights their experiences and the value and impact of their collaborative efforts on sustainability practices in the meat industry. You’ll find free educational resources on Scope 3 Emissions reporting for Meat Institute members, along with SCS resources open to all, following the article.
Experience and Rewards of Participation
Victoria Evans, MS, describes the most rewarding aspect of participating in the Meat Institute Sustainability Committee as the opportunity to engage directly with member companies, deepening her understanding of sustainability priorities and challenges in the meat industry. The monthly meetings facilitate meaningful discussions on critical topics such as greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, Scope 3 emissions, and evolving climate disclosure requirements. A significant focus has been on regulatory requirements, such as California SB 253 for corporate-wide GHG reporting and SB 261 for climate-related financial risk disclosures, which begin in 2026. These discussions help SCS consultants better support Meat Institute members and stay aligned with the industry’s needs.
Notable Contributions
Victoria highlights a particular achievement: leading three educational sessions on Scope 3 emissions that involve detailed GHG accounting specific to the meat sector. This role has strengthened connections and fostered deeper conversations within the industry, supporting the Meat Institute’s Protein PACT initiative to reduce the environmental footprint of meat and poultry production.
Value and Encouragement for Committee Involvement
Aicha Slassi Senou, PhD, emphasizes the committee’s role as a unique forum for knowledge sharing among industry leaders, sustainability professionals, and technical experts. She notes it offers a collaborative environment to openly discuss challenges, exchange ideas, and learn from each other’s experiences. This is especially important as sustainability expectations and climate reporting requirements continue to evolve. She sees the value of how the committee accelerates progress by fostering collective effort and shared learning.
Reasons to Join the Meat Institute Sustainability Committee
Aicha encourages others to participate because the committee keeps members informed about emerging sustainability issues, such as climate reporting and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which are expected to continue to grow in importance. The Committee provides insights into regulatory initiatives, policy developments, and GHG accounting methodologies led by the Meat Institute. She cites how participation allows members to learn from peers, contribute to meaningful discussions, and advance the sector collectively. The relationships and practical knowledge you gain make involvement a valuable investment, regardless of where a firm is in its sustainability journey.
Scope 3 Recordings Are Available to Meat Institute Members Along With These Free Educational SCS Resources:
SCS Resources
The Meat Institute Sustainability Committee brings together people from across the meat industry to share ideas and work on practical ways to reduce environmental impact and communicate progress. By meeting regularly, the group tackles challenges, develops useful tools, and encourages better practices that protect the environment while keeping the industry strong and profitable.
Victoria Evans, MS, is SCS’s National Climate Change Practice Leader and One of our National Experts on Greenhouse Gas. She has over four decades of experience in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy, air quality, and the environment. She has over 25 years of experience in climate and GHG management, having directed or performed over 300 GHG studies for US and global corporations and government organizations. Her experience includes developing voluntary and mandatory GHG inventories and reporting, California Cap-and-Trade compliance strategies, carbon-reduction roadmaps, and life-cycle analyses. She has led regulatory and legislative analyses on carbon and energy for landmark initiatives and has advised on developing GHG reporting rules and protocols for carbon offset projects.
Aicha Slassi Senou, PhD, is a GHG and sustainability expert in GHG accounting, decarbonization planning, and life cycle assessments. She has successfully delivered over 30 third-party-verified Corporate GHG Inventories for scopes 1, 2, and 3, addressing auditors’ technical questions on data collection and calculations, in alignment with the WRI GHG Protocol’s Corporate Standards and ISO 14064-1. She manages corporate climate and GHG projects, including GHG inventories and climate disclosures (reporting to the Science Based Targets Initiative and CDP), creating sector-specific decarbonization strategies (including value chain engagement for Fortune 50 manufacturers), and net-zero road mapping for multiple clients.
Contact the experts at SCS Engineers for more information.
Join SCS Engineers Vice President Dana Blumberg on July 15 for the Making the Grade: Solid Waste webinar, where ASCE and SCS Engineers will examine the current state of solid waste infrastructure across the United States.
Building on findings from ASCE’s 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the discussion will evaluate how solid waste infrastructure measures up in safety, resilience, capacity, and innovation. Industry leaders will discuss the factors that influenced the sector’s grade, explore emerging challenges and opportunities, and share firsthand perspectives from the field.
Dana will join experts from SWANA, EREF, Frederick County Public Works, and Tetra Tech to discuss the future of solid waste infrastructure and the solutions that can strengthen long-term sustainability. Register now!
Need a review of your report? Or support to prepare it? Feel free to reach out to us. We are happy to have a chat with you!
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