LA County board of supervisors permits landfill expansion

The Los Angeles County board of supervisors has permitted an expansion to the Chiquita Canyon landfill in Santa Clarita Valley, California, according to the Los Angeles Times. The article says the approval went forward despite environmentalists and residents opposing the new permit.

The landfill began operating in Val Verde, a semi-rural California community, in 1972. In 1995, an agreement was reached between operators and community members that allowed for an expansion but required the landfill to close when it reached 23 million tons of waste in November 2019, the report says. 

Owner Waste Connections, The Woodlands, Texas, obtained a waiver from the county that allowed the landfill to stay open when it almost reached its limit in 2016 while it sought a new permit for another expansion. The report say that the company appealed the terms of that permit due to the county’s waste limits and operating fees.

More than 50 people reportedly attended the two-hour public meeting for the permit on June 27.

While representatives from the industry said the landfill serves a necessary function and contributes to the local economy, residents and environmentalists said the board was favoring corporate interests over resident health.

According to the report, Supervisor Kathryn Barger proposed a compromise. The compromise requires Waste Connections to hire a consultant to monitor air quality in locations immediately surrounding the landfill and establish a phone line for complaints. It also requires the landfill owners to turn the site into a park after it closes.

The compromise also reduces fees Waste Connections would normally pay for waste processed outside of Santa Clarita Valley but will still have to give 10 percent of its tipping fees to the county treasurer and tax collector on top of other Department of Public Works fees.

The new permit requires the landfill to close when it reaches 60 million tons or after 30 years, whichever occurs first.