State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, issued a call for more attention to the problems at Chiquita Canyon Landfill and asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit the landfill following two years of problems for local residents, according to a copy of the senator’s letter dated Thursday.
Wilk authored a letter to Newsom calling on the governor to visit the north Los Angeles County landfill and see how “an underground fire continues to impact the environment, health, safety and well-being of residents,” adding he felt nauseous during his most recent visit.
The landfill has been plaguing residents in Castaic, Val Verde and a growing area surrounding the facility, as public officials’ reactions have ranged from Rep. Mike Garcia’s call for the landfill to be shut down immediately while the problems are figured out to that of Los Angeles County, which has repeatedly said closing the landfill could cause legal problems and won’t address the issues.
Ongoing problems
The landfill is experiencing a subsurface reaction that’s burning at approximately 250 degrees, according to a recent report from landfill officials, who also stated the landfill is sinking at a rate faster than usual.
The facility and its regulators have yet to figure out a cause for the crisis after more than a year of working on it, but the side effects are clear: a massive smell problem causes thousands of complaints a month to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the leachate threatens to contaminate the local water table, according to Wilk’s letter.
Wilk called on Newsom to “bring much-needed visibility to this ongoing public health and environmental issue,” in a news release announcing the correspondence.
“Every day for the last two years residents of Val Verde and Castaic have had to put up with the foul, overwhelming odors coming out of the landfill. Worse than that, it’s making them sick,” Wilk wrote in a statement. “While state, county and federal agencies have been working to fix the problem, real relief is long overdue. This crisis certainly rises to the level of the governor, and I strongly urge him to visit the site and experience (the) situation firsthand.”
However, at this point, what further action the state could initiate is not exactly clear, which has been part of the county’s stated hesitation in asking for more help.
Wilk’s letter implies more conversation can help raise awareness.
The landfill crisis is currently overseen by the Response Multi-Agency Coordination Group and the Multiagency Critical Action Team, which are both joint state and federal task forces overseen by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
One of the R-MAC’s listed objectives is to “keep the community and other interested parties informed through participation.”
The MCAT was formed in November after the EPA became involved, and it is the lead agency in the task force. The MCAT also includes: the California Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, CalRecycle, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the Los Angeles County departments of Public Works, Public Health and Planning.
The MCAT’s highest concerns are possible health and environmental impacts, especially those raised by community members, according to an EPA source speaking on background.
State involvement
Wilk reiterated county officials’ assertion that declaring a state of emergency is not necessary to expedite odor mitigation or resident relief efforts, echoing a statement shared by L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley.
Newsom’s office has not issued any statements regarding the landfill, although the recent declaration of a state of emergency over the landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes once again raised questions for local residents about a statewide declaration.
Those in favor of the move, including Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, have said it will speed up the resources that can be made available to support residents. He contended during a recent community meeting that county officials’ hesitancy for such a move comes from concerns about possible legal repercussions.
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, began to issue a similar call for the state to make a declaration in March, but state officials have said the affected county would be the lead agency on such declarations.
County officials said the move is only necessary when there are available resources not being implemented.
Barger spokeswoman Stephanie English previously has said two joint state and federal task forces are already making sure everything that can be done is being done.
However, in recent weeks, renewed criticism of the landfill’s response has surfaced, particularly its relocation program.
Residents have repeatedly asked for more transparency about the landfill’s formula for helping residents, which the landfill has refused to release.
The landfill’s suggested alternative at a community meeting last month, a reimbursement model for residents considering relocation, was roundly criticized as unhelpful for those who couldn’t already afford to just pack up and move, which is most.
In response to community concerns, Barger penned a letter to the landfill Aug. 7, calling on Waste Connections, which owns the landfill, to reduce the paperwork burden on residents who are affected. She also asked the landfill to explore other resources.
Chiquita Canyon did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Barger issued a statement via email Thursday afternoon thanking Wilk for his advocacy:
“This incident is complex and requires leaders at every level–local, state, and federal–to work in lockstep on behalf of the community. No one entity can deliver results alone,” she said.
“Today, I sent letters to Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo and top leadership at California’s Office of Emergency Services, asking for their support and clarification regarding what state resources and relief can be made available.”
Residents have a lot of questions about relief, she added.
“Unity of effort is critical so that more relief can be accessed by the community,” she said.
