Barger demands landfill operators provide relocation assistance

Santa Clarita residents’ distress over the stench from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill has prompted Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger to demand landfill operators provide relocation assistance and other mitigation measures.

“Although we have a significant number of organizations involved from the federal, state and county government levels, it has become increasingly clear to me that there is no predictable end in sight,” Barger wrote in a letter addressed to John M. Perkey, vice president and deputy general counsel for The Woodlands, Texas-based Waste Connections, which owns the landfill.

“As you continue working to comply with oversight and odor abatement requirements, the very real and significant impacts to those living near the landfill must be addressed,” Barger wrote.

Barger requested Waste Connections not only provide larger air filtration devices and contribute greater funds to the Utility Relief Program, but to also assist in relocating affected individuals on an urgent basis and help fund a forthcoming Home Hardening and Rehabilitation Program designed to insulate homes from the odors.

During a 75-minute presentation on an independent health risk study Wednesday, landfill neighbors expressed concerns about health problems such as headaches and respiratory issues.

The landfill has accumulated over 7,000 complaints and 100 violations to date.

In response to Barger’s requests, a landfill spokesperson said that while the company is reviewing the letter’s implications, an official reaction is yet to be formulated.

“We are reviewing the recommendations made by Supervisor Barger and how they can be implemented as part of the overall strategy. We will have more to report on this and other mitigation updates at next week’s Community Advisory Committee meeting,” a company statement said.

Meanwhile, Adam Love, an environmental forensics expert with Roux Associates, emphasized the need for more consistent air quality sampling. The report on the Chiquita Canyon Landfill found benzene levels but did not alarm long-term health concerns. Still, it was insufficient to explain the distinctive smell.

Tensions peaked during the environmental report presentation at College of the Canyons, as voices from the crowd rose in a chant, “close it.”

The Los Angeles Times reported landfill representatives intend to hold a meeting Tuesday at Castaic Library to discuss odor mitigation efforts and respond to Supervisor Barger’s recommendations.

As reported by KTLA, MyNewsLA.com and the Santa Clarita Valley Signal

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