Huntington Beach : Ban on Excavations at Ascon Landfill Relaxed

The city has lifted a two-year moratorium on cleanup and development of the Ascon landfill, but that doesn’t mean that the oil-drilling wastes buried there will be removed soon, say owners of the 38-acre site near Magnolia Street and Hamilton Avenue.

One of the owners, Phil Spiller, said he isn’t sure what effect the council’s action will have but expressed anger at the long delay. He said the moratorium “has stymied any attempts at joint venture partnerships.”

No action will be taken anyway, he added, until settlement of a lawsuit filed three weeks ago against 12 firms believed to have dumped most of the Ascon waste in the 1940s--including Shell, Dow Chemical, Conoco and Mobil. “We’re just waiting to find out what their response is,” he said, adding that he would like to eventually develop apartments on the site.

The law, which requires a conditional use permit for excavations, won’t become official until a second vote is taken in 30 days.

Under the ordinance, an analysis of the landfill’s chemical content must be made and specifics of the plan of excavation and removal approved along with the posting of a bond by the developers to assure the project’s completion. The state Department of Health Services and the South Coast Air Quality Management District also require permits.