Legislation by Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, seeking to increase penalties and expand the enforcement of existing laws against illegal dumping unanimously passed the state Senate Thursday.
“The High Desert and other rural communities in California have become the de facto dumping ground for people trying to cut corners and save a buck on properly disposing waste,” Wilk said in a news release. “I understand fees are high for legal dumping — and that is an issue — but at the end of the day, families living in rural California should not have to clean up the rest of the state’s trash.”
Senate Bill 409 would reduce unlawful dumping by increasing penalties and requiring that property owners obtain state and local permits prior to allowing dumping on their property, Wilk added, mentioning the bill also holds truckers responsible for transporting waste for unlawful dumping and expands the agencies authorized to declare a property a nuisance with unlawfully dumped waste.
“Illegal dumping is bad for the environment, bad for our communities and can be dangerous,” Wilk said in Thursday’s release. “SB 409 will make it more expensive to violate the law and holds violators on all levels responsible.”
SB 409 now heads to the state Assembly for consideration.
