Vernon Toxic Incinerator Gets EPA Approval

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, following the lead of state health officials, Wednesday approved construction of California’s first toxic waste incinerator, to be built in Vernon near heavily populated areas of southeastern Los Angeles County.

The approval came despite stepped-up efforts by environmentalists, politicians and local citizens groups to persuade the federal agency to order an environmental impact report before issuing permits to California Thermal Treatment Services Inc., the designer of the controversial facility.

Incinerator opponents angrily criticized the EPA approval, which was the last major hurdle before construction. Some vowed to seek court action to stop plant construction. Others staged a raucous demonstration in the EPA’s regional office in San Francisco.

“I’m furious and really disgusted with the agency,” said Assemblywoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles), who for the last two years has organized opposition in her 56th Assembly District.

“This is more evidence that (the state Department of Health Services and the EPA) are truly not in existence to provide protections to the people, but are there to serve big business,” Roybal-Allard added.

Despite assurances by federal, state and company officials, opponents say they fear the incinerator would poison the air with escaping toxic residue. They have also expressed concern that a chemical spill from trucks approaching the facility could force the evacuation of residents from the handful of predominantly Latino communities surrounding the industrial city.

Appeal Ordered

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley directed City Atty. James K. Hahn to file an appeal. The city recently filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Health Services for approving the project in September. That approval was a reversal of an earlier promise to demand that the company prepare an environmental impact report.

“I wish to assure the city of Los Angeles that the battle is not over yet,” Bradley said.

EPA officials said the incinerator plans have undergone examination by several state and local agencies. A formal impact study, they said, would not shed any new light on potential health hazards.

The $29-million incinerator is expected to burn nearly 22,500 tons per year of solvents, pesticides, alcohols, oil and paint sludges, heavy metal residues and other hazardous waste.

Company officials need only building permits from Vernon City Hall before they can begin construction less than 4 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The company, which declined to comment Wednesday, previously had said it could begin construction by spring. But an appeal could hold up construction.

Jeffrey Zelikson, director of the EPA Toxics and Waste Management Division, said the decision was made after “careful and thorough review.”

“Our primary mission is the protection of public health and the environment,” Zelikson said, adding that federal officials are “totally confident” that the plant’s design “assures the protection of the health and environment of Southern California citizens.”

Zelikson acknowledged that the incinerator would emit potentially dangerous toxins into the atmosphere, but said the level is far below the level of pollutants emitted by automobiles.

The EPA approval came four days after scores of protesters from around the state gathered at a small East Los Angeles church and marched to the Vernon site. Chanting, “Ban the burn,” organizers complained that Gov. George Deukmejian and the state Department of Health Services had ignored health and environmental concerns.

“The EPA action today is a sham,” said state Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles). “The proposal to burn tons of toxic waste in Vernon poses an unacceptable risk to millions of people living in the Los Angeles area.”

U.S. Reps. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles) and Matthew G. Martinez (D-Monterey Park) also expressed anger at the EPA approval. The politicians fear that the southeast county area has become a dumping ground for unwanted projects.

In September, Deukmejian vetoed a bill authored by Roybal-Allard that would have required hazardous waste incinerators to undergo environmental impact reports.

Martinez has been seeking a congressional hearing on the permit process as part of an investigation of why the state reversed its decision to require the impact study, aide Gary Townsend said.

Just after noon on Wednesday, 20 Greenpeace activists stormed the EPA office, chanting, “EPA, you can’t hide. We know you’re on the polluters’ side.” The group then placed stickers and posters on the office walls, officials said. Zelikson said office workers were disrupted from their duties during the demonstration. No arrests were made.

Meeting Scheduled

Los Angeles Deputy City Atty. William Waterhouse, members of the citizens group Mothers of East Los Angeles and represenatives from Roybal-Allard’s office were scheduled to meet today to discuss the city’s lawsuit and the expected appeal of the EPA permit.

It is the second suit that Roybal-Allard and a citizens group have attempted. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled against a suit in July, saying that the state’s promise to order an environmental impact report made the request to block construction moot. But the state later gave the project the green light without doing the environment impact report.

EPA’s Zelikson said there are 23 other toxic waste incinerators in the nation that have operated for several years without incident. EPA officials, however, could not say if any of those facilities are located in a densely populated metropolitan area.

“In general, they operate quite well,” Zelikson said.

He said that EPA officials were aware of the mounting opposition and had taken into account the fears of residents by adding several amendments to the tentative permit, issued almost 18 months ago.

One noteworthy amendment to the original permit, Zelikson said, is the addition of a government computer system at the Vernon site that would allow EPA officials to monitor the plant’s operation from San Francisco.

“At any point in time, we can confirm that the incinerator is operating the way it’s supposed to,” Zelikson said.

The incinerator is one of two hazardous waste disposal facilities planned for Vernon. Federal and state officials are considering permits for a hazardous waste chemical treatment plant, which would neutralize cyanide, hexavalent chromium and other toxic chemicals about a mile south of the incinerator site.