Lopez Dump Hearings Criticized as Far Too Slow : Landfills: The extension of an order to comply with state law has acted as a variance, allowing the facility to operate while it builds a gas collection system, officials said.

Assemblyman Richard Katz and residents near the Lopez Canyon Landfill accused Los Angeles and regional air quality officials of “bureaucratic foot-dragging” Friday as the 11th day of hearings into noxious gas emissions at the city-operated dump came to a close.

In April, Katz (D-Sylmar) and others asked the South Coast Air Quality Management District Hearing Board to give the city 30 days to bring methane gas emissions at the dump into compliance with state law. But, he said, “that was 91 days ago.”

“This board has received enough evidence to immediately order the city of Los Angeles” to close the northeast San Fernando Valley landfill until it controls excess gas emissions there, Katz said in a letter to the board.

The hearing board, a quasi-judicial body, began hearings into alleged violations of state air pollution laws at the city-operated landfill on April 27.

At that time, Katz and others pointed out that last August, the hearing board ordered the city to bring methane gas emissions into compliance with state law by January. However, they said that as recently as April, emissions were measured at 10,000 parts per million, 20 times more than the 500 p.p.m. standard permitted by the state.

Deputy City Atty. Christopher Westhoff, representing the city Bureau of Sanitation, said that with the installation of a new gas collection system, the city is “nearing compliance.”

“This has been going on for several months now,” Katz said in an interview from Sacramento. “I’d like to know when they’re going to make the city comply with the law, that’s all.”

Katz’s remarks came as the hearing board voted to extend for 30 days an abatement order covering excess gas emissions that was issued last August so that even more hearings can be held. The order was to expire Aug. 2.

Board Chairman Harold Brown said the board extended the order so that it can retain jurisdiction over the landfill. If the order were allowed to expire, he said, the law says the board would have to hold new hearings into the matter, prolonging the case even longer.

“The reason to extend the order is to really afford a fair hearing for all parties,” board member James Joyce said.

The order has acted as a variance, allowing the landfill to operate while it builds a gas collection system, officials said.

Since the first hearing on April 27, three days have been devoted to public and expert testimony and seven sessions at which the city has presented testimony on everything from a look at what would occur if Lopez Canyon closes to Los Angeles’ planned recycling program. At least six other hearing dates have been set aside for other testimony.

“While I understand that this board wants to provide full due process to all parties concerned, the decision to extend the order for another 30 days could be interpreted as more bureaucratic foot-dragging,” Katz said. “At some point--and I hope it’s soon--this board is going to have to reach some decisions.”

Although the city is responding to the issue of recycling and other things brought up by the public, the length of time devoted to them “in a hearing dedicated to gas mitigation is nothing but a snow job in July,” said Kagel Canyon resident Dennis Ghiatis.

“This has dragged on and on,” said Lisa Crowell of Lake View Terrace. “What will happen to the trash if they close the place down should not be the board’s concern. Thirty days from now, there still won’t be a decision.”

Westhoff said he has presented so many witnesses on so many different topics because he wants to cover everything brought up by the public and their elected officials.

On Thursday, John De La Rosa, the landfill manager, testified that city workers drive the area surrounding the landfill daily looking for dust, odor and trash in residential neighborhoods.

Occasionally, he said, they find trash and dust but “they’ve never smelled anything coming off the landfill.”

“The community’s obviously smelling something,” said board member Esther Lewin, referring to early testimony from landfill neighbors. “I don’t think they’re making this up.”

De La Rosa suggested that the odors could be coming from horse ranches and septic tanks in Kagel Canyon.