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Chiquita Canyon in Perspective: Building America's Largest Landf

Chiquita Canyon in Perspective: Building America's Largest Landf

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by: Mike Devlin Active Indicator LED Icon  OP  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 12:06pm  
From SCVTalk:https://www.santaclarita.com/blog/view.php?blog_entry_id=31307 Today we're honored to share this in-depth look at Chiquita Landfill in the perspective of the nation's largest landfills, from Val Verde resident Sara Sage. -MDPhoto taken by Val Verde resident during a tour of Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Reproduced with permission from Erica Larsen-Dockray ©2014For over a decade, Apex Landfill in Las Vegas and Puente Hills Landfill in Southern California were back-and-forth contenders for the title of ‘Nation’s Largest Landfill.’ At some point, Puente Hills was recognized as the largest. Operated by Los Angeles County, Puente Hills became a reliable repository for much of Los Angeles’ refuse, accepting a motley category of unwanted items such as outdated couches, empty hair-coloring bottles, construction debris, shredded automobiles and expired cheese. Puente Hills’ management asserted that they adhered to their “Good Neighbor Policy” and that they were “helping neighbors, and the environment in tons of ways.” Outside of the hackneyed, groan-worthy pun, their motto seems trite, if only for the scope of the project. Residents near the Nation’s largest landfill regularly complained of odors, traffic, noise and negative environmental, health and economic effects while it was open. They were mostly ignored. “Puente Hills Landfill,” by Britta Gustafson, © Licensed under Creative Commons, Wikipedia.On October 31, 2013, the Puente Hills Landfill closed for good. A couple of years before its agreed-upon closing date, the San Gabriel Valley of Governments petitioned to keep it open for another 10 years. Communities nearby fought hard and eventually won. Despite their victory, residents near Puente Hills will continue to deal with issues such as fugitive gases and other health and environmental issues for decades and generations to follow. In fact, closed landfills still carry significant risks of spontaneous explosion and unhealthful, carcinogenic gasses.With the landfill’s closing, it is likely that the County is looking for another Puente Hills within its boundaries and is eyeing Chiquita Canyon Landfill for that purpose. It is not widely known that many projects such as the LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study, the Boyle Heights Mixed-Use Community Project, and the 100 West Walnut Project in Pasadena (City of Pasadena, “100 West Walnut Planned Development: Environmental Impact Analysis,” SCH No. 2013071018, Page IV.L.3-8, June 2014) cite that their waste needs could be accommodated by Chiquita Canyon Landfill’s pending expansion in their planning documents. Newhall Ranch’s Landmark Village relies on Chiquita’s remaining capacity and refers to the planned Chiquita Canyon Master Plan Revision in a footnote in 2011. Since many County projects have moved forward based on the assumption that Chiquita Canyon Landfill will succeed in obtaining an expansion permit, in effect, it seems that a decision has already been made – and without the bother of the CEQA/EIR process, or a hearing with the Board of Supervisors. Another conflict in this permitting practice is that homes in the Newhall Ranch project will be built right up against the landfill, closer than any home in Val Verde. The expansion could provide a way for those homes to be built – and paradoxically endanger the people who will reside there. So what happens statistically if you live near a landfill? Well, the results from multiple peer-reviewed studies are worrisome, indicating increased risks of decreased immune system function, asthma, leukemia, liver cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and birth defects. Despite health complaints by Val Verdeans and not a single air quality monitor in the town of Val Verde, residents are dismissed and lectured frequently. We are aggressively invited to tour Chiquita so that we can witness first-hand the Disneyland-of-All-Landfills over the hill.In practice, people have little to no recourse to mitigate health concerns after a landfill is permitted and approved per County, State and Federal law. It is even harder to impose regulations on Chiquita, since it is owned by a publically-traded corporate entity and not by the County. The company does not provide an air monitoring program to the town of Val Verde, nor is it required to per County regulations. Many people ask why Val Verde does not use the mitigation money to pay for an off-site air quality monitoring program; the fact is that the mitigation contract with Chiquita Canyon bars the town from using the money for any purpose that is potentially damaging to the landfill.According to the current Conditional Use Permit at Chiquita, the small community of Val Verde could potentially host 1.56 million tons of trash per year. With increased waste comes increased risk. Ideally, there should be stringent and fair policies to alleviate the effects of living near landfills, especially when we impose massive financial, safety and health risks on nearby residents. Is it possible for a municipality to effectively deal with its waste while aggressively protecting the well-being of all of its citizens? Some countries such as Sweden and Austria send a miniscule percentage of their refuse to landfills: 1% and < 1%, respectively. Compare that to the United States where we send 69% of our total waste to landfills, well above the EU average of 38%. I will spare readers a speech about what we all can do to help. We all know how we can reduce waste and our impact on the environment – but we don’t. At least not enough.When you ask communities to support and host landfills, you are not only asking them to bear the consequential risks of accepting waste that they did not generate, you are also asking them to accept the burden of bad policy. When residents complain loudly and municipalities run out of places to bury trash, it is time to reevaluate how we change our legacy of irresponsibility and our lack of problem solving. Just South of the Newhall Pass is Sunshine Canyon Landfill, one of the largest in the State of California. Sunshine Canyon recites the good-neighbor rhetoric and even distributes a quarterly publication called Neighbor-to-Neighbor. Many years ago when the City of Santa Clarita was fighting a potential landfill in Elsmere Canyon, the City agreed that they had too many good neighbors. Many were concerned that Santa Clarita Valley would be known as “The Valley of the Dumps.” Today, the Santa Clarita Valley could be called, “The Valley Between the Dumps,” as it fills in the 10-mile space between the two of the State’s largest landfills.Today, Apex Landfill in Las Vegas holds the title of the largest operating landfill in America. They accept waste at the rate of approximately 10,500 tons per day, a staggering amount. So, what is the scope of the expansion proposal for Chiquita Canyon? Chiquita Canyon Landfill proposes to expand their footprint by 40%, and most significantly, double daily tonnage to 12,000 tons per day – 1,500 tons more per-day than Apex Landfill accepts, the largest landfill in the nation.Newhall Ranch is the largest-ever proposed development in the history of Los Angeles and it will sit on the lap of possibly the largest landfill in the country. By contrast, Apex Landfill is located in a remote, uninhabited area. In 1997, when Chiquita was granted their last expansion, the area was relatively rural. Today there are more neighborhoods, commercial and mixed-use buildings, including the popular K-12 charter school SCVi – which will be approximately one mile from the landfill if the expansion is approved. The landfill in Val Verde is rural no more. We should question the wisdom of governmental policies and practices that readily mix heavy industry such as landfills with residential zoning. Home is supposed to be a place where we are safe and protected. Instead of discrediting the dissenting residents who live near landfills, value their insight and use it to improve industry and to reexamine governmental policies. Spare them the good-neighbor rhetoric and speak to them with concern and respect. Most importantly, make sure that the well-being of citizens is a priority above the financial interests of big business as we build the largest landfills in America.
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AbbyNormal Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 4:14pm  
" As it fills in the 10-mile space between the two of the State’s largest landfills, not only could the Santa Clarita Valley could be called, “The Valley Between the Dumps,” but when the Cemex mine opens, and when Newhall Ranch, the largest-ever proposed development in the history of Los Angeles is built and the Billboard Overlay Zones are filled in, the Santa Clarita Valley could be known as the Digitally Lit, Gridlock Strangled, Particulate Matter Choked, Valley Between the Dumps".
 
Wake up Santa Clarita! Register to vote, then vote. Always. Start going to your City Council, Town Council, Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission meetings. Start writing letters, sending emails and calling Antonovich, Wilk, McKeon, Pavley, Fox, and the 5 Santa Clarita City Council members.
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SaraSage Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 5:24pm  
Yes, Justwondering, it is in the contract. The Conditional Use Permit states in Condition 34:
 
"Permittee shall purchase a maximum of five combustible gas monitors, at least one of which is able to be used outdoors, an organic vapor analyzer, similar to the monitors used in structures at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, and provide the same to the Community Advisory Committee for placement in locations of concern to the community, as determined by the Committee."
 
The location of the monitors is not known.
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SaraSage Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 5:25pm  
Yes, Justwondering, it is in the contract. The Conditional Use Permit states in Condition 34:
 
"Permittee shall purchase a maximum of five combustible gas monitors, at least one of which is able to be used outdoors, an organic vapor analyzer, similar to the monitors used in structures at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, and provide the same to the Community Advisory Committee for placement in locations of concern to the community, as determined by the Committee."
 
The location of the monitors is not known.
 
Can you tell me when the supposed landfill reps approached you about purchasing your home?
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SaraSage Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 5:43pm  
Are you on NextDoor? Would you send me a message there?
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Sep 30, '14 5:55pm  
I only know of "eminent domain". I think that can only be used by government (city, county, state, federal), not by individual businesses. If I am wrong, please let me know and Justwondering too.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 11:40am  
Castaic Clay................I did not know that. thank you for the information
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 2:26pm  
WOW Dana, you sound just like the former president of the Val Verde Community Advisory Committee, who left Val Verde and has no "vested" interest in our little town.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 2:37pm  
JustWondering, do you know of one that will take it on contingency? We don't have the money to hire and attorney.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 3:12pm  
Dana, in my opinion, Castaic is not listening to us telling them, don't do it, it isn't worth the money. They are only seeing the money. As for us bringing "crime and poverty", that is so biased. You need to read the crime reports in the papers and online, we actually have less crime that other parts of the Santa Clarita Valley.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 3:30pm  
Dana, are you sure you really want to say that to sacrifice us (or to make Val Verde residents severely ill and die) for the better of you (Castaic) is ok? And who is the "we" you talk about? You make it sound like you could pick me out in the grocery store in a heart beat just because of where I live. Stereotyping gets allot of people in trouble, I have not seen one benefit of the CBFC monies, so I really don't think you know about "us" at all. Getting money from the CCL will not give you better air. This is what we have been trying to tell "you". The money is not worth your health and your life.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 3:47pm  
The landfill already is toxic and those closest to it do find it unlivable at times. There are other landfills in the area, Toland in Ventura County, Antelope Valley has another San Bernadino County has one. Toland refused the sludge from Santa Barbara because it was full of aresenic. Chiquita took it against the conditional use permit they have. CCL really doesn't care about people, they are more interested in profit. Sorry I believe David can knock Goliath down to his knees if not completely to the ground.The people fighting against the expansion are doing this for the better of all people living in the area of CCL not just Val Verde! It is for the lives around the landfill/dump that will be made worse if it expands and continues to follow their current activities, breaking the law until they are caught.
 
As for Vanessa, she lives for herself. How she made money, I don't know. I have my own personal differences with her that began when she moved to Val Verde. I am not upset that she is gone. In fact I toasted her packing up, blatantly.
 
If you don't think this is civil, then I don't know how to be civil.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 4:05pm  
So this is what I am hearing through our "converstaion":
The health of 2,000 doesn't matter when you put things in perspective.
 
If people from Val Verde move because of the landfill, there will be an exodus of poor criminals to Castaic
Therefore, people in Val Verde are poor and are criminals
 
Val Verdeans (all 2,000 of us) should move instead of fighting the landfill
Somehow, people from Val Verde will consider moving to Castaic
 
We live in a place that is special to all of us. We do not have a cookie cutter community and that is why we love it. You cannot tell 2,000 residents to move because the County says that there is no option. We have done more than our fair share and there ARE other options.
 
Did you read the article? This will be probably the largest landfill in the United States and it will be here there for hundreds of years. Newhall Ranch will be built there, right next to the landfill. That means more than 2,000 people will be affected. Not only that, there are other neighborhoods like Live Oak and Hasley Hills who are already close to the landfill and the landfill is moving in their direction.
 
I don't want any resident to get ill or die because of the landfill, that is what is wanted at the end of this whole thing.
 
I know the CCL donates" to many politicians....don't even get me started on that!
 
I am sorry your neighbors see you as the enemy for having an opinion/stand on this subject.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 4:08pm  
Funny how you were able to post this under my screen name....hmmmmm makes me wonder

"Sheffs. says: Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Sheffs please, I believe you are being much kinder to me than I deserve. Just look into the information I gave you. CATC members, how many own businesses? How many have received "donations" from CCL? The answer rhymes with "gall most ball of them."
It just takes a little digging.
You'll find proof that CCL practically owns CATC. Who pays for their meetings? Sponsors their events? You're right, CCL accepts trash from other towns and you don't see them throwing fundraisers for them. Something is not right. When was the last time CCL came to Val Verde and threw a party for the neighborhood? Sponsored a community event? Hosted a fundraiser for Val Verde Boys and Girls Club?
 
They know they can't buy you. So they're trying to buy everyone around you.
 
I'm starting t see your argument. My daughter wants to know why her friends in live oak aren't allowed at our home. Because their parents call me the enemy. And I'm tired of being your enemy."
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 4:20pm  
OK, apology accepted. Kids do make us get emotional, and as many who know me, my animals make me emotional too. If you really want CCL gone......email me [email protected]. I know all about certain individuals on the CATC, no need to go further. Stay calm, breathe deep.....now relax for the rest of the day and love your family.
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Sheffs Active Indicator LED Icon  New Member
~ 9 years ago   Oct 1, '14 4:27pm  
OK, apology accepted. Kids do make us get emotional, and as many who know me, my animals make me emotional too. If you really want CCL gone......email me [email protected]. I know all about certain individuals on the CATC, no need to go further. Stay calm, breathe deep.....now relax for the rest of the day and love your family.
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