Bill to Regulate Use of Elsmere Canyon as Landfill Revived

The Assembly Natural Resources Committee on Monday revived a watered-down version of a bill sought by the city of Santa Clarita to guarantee that the city and county of Los Angeles comply with a new state law regulating dump locations if they create the proposed Elsmere Canyon Landfill.

Under a compromise, the legislation by Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita) would take effect only if another more sweeping proposal--which would apply to the location of all new dumps in the state--fails to be signed into law.

The committee, which last week rejected the Davis bill, approved the compromise version on an 8-1 vote and sent it to the Ways and Means Committee.

The lone dissenter was Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman (D-Los Angeles), who represents parts of the San Fernando Valley. He described the bill as “special treatment” for Elsmere Canyon, which could increase pressure to place dumps in the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, which he opposes.

One legislative staff member, who asked not to be identified, said that linking the Davis bill with the fate of the statewide proposal, by Assemblyman Dominic L. Cortese (D-San Jose), is unusual. But, he said, “This is a special situation because concurrent with the Elsmere controversy is a controversy over siting of landfills throughout the state.”

Lobbyists for Santa Clarita described the compromise as a backstop for the city in case the Cortese proposal stalls in the Legislature.

The city and county of Los Angeles are considering building a landfill in Elsmere Canyon next to Santa Clarita, sparking protests from local residents. It would hold millions of tons of waste, dumped over the next 50 years.

At issue in the Legislature is what kind of environmental rules the state should apply to the location of new garbage dumps.

Under a law that took effect this year, local governments have four years to develop a waste management plan spelling out how they will meet goals of the law, which is aimed at reducing the amount of trash allowed into dumps and at increasing recycling. In the meantime, Los Angeles County is prevented from approving the creation of landfills unless the state determines they are needed to ensure public health.

But a dispute has arisen over when the state will apply the tough, new standards as it phases in the new law over the next few years.

Santa Clarita officials said that either the Cortese bill, in its present form, or the Davis bill if the Cortese bill does not pass, would provide adequate safeguards by imposing immediate conditions on any Elsmere Canyon dump.

Los Angeles County officials have opposed the Davis proposal as unnecessary.

Davis denied that his bill merely restates existing law and dismissed suggestions that he is pushing it as a face-saving device. He said he would have fought for a tougher bill but Santa Clarita officials told him they believe there are adequate safeguards in the Cortese bill.

“If my city is satisfied they are being protected, that’s fine,” Davis said. If the Cortese bill “turns out to be a turkey . . . we’ll fight it,” he said.

Santa Clarita City Councilwoman Jill Klajic said that Monday’s action provides the city with a vehicle to argue its position in Sacramento. “If we need to come back, we have a bill we can work on,” she said.