The Region - News from Jan. 23, 1987

A coalition of Inland Empire public agencies and residents have filed two lawsuits aimed at halting construction of a proposed waste-to-energy plant that would burn 10 million scrapped tires a year in Rialto. The San Bernardino Superior Court suits allege that the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the City of Rialto are obligated by law to conduct environmental impact studies of the $70-million project proposed by Garb Oil & Power of Salt Lake City before building permits can be issued. Local officials and residents oppose the project on grounds that it may churn out dangerous amounts of toxic chemicals and pollutants into their already smoggy skies. An attorney for the coalition, which includes the cities and counties of Riverside and San Bernardino, said he will seek a court order preventing the air quality board and Rialto from issuing permits before a Feb. 23 hearing.