Landfill Expansion

Recently, the San Diego County Department of Public Works, which is theoretically “fast tracking” the vertical expansion of the San Marcos Landfill, withdrew its integrated Waste Management Board Permit application for 30 days while it attempts to satisfy the technical requirements of that agency. And predictably enough, Bill Worrell, deputy director of the DPW has since discovered that again that, wadda’ya know, the landfill has just enough capacity to last until June, 1992.

The DPW has cried “wolf” (a.k.a. “crisis, crisis”) so many times, it has achieved nothing more than to totally destroy any credibility it may have had left. First, the San Marcos Landfill was going to close in early 1991. Then it was March, then July, then September, December, February, March. And this time Mr. Worrell shrugs his shoulders, throws up his hands in wonderment and proclaims it’s a miracle, we’ve got until June!

Just who is he trying to kid? The DPW is smug in the knowledge that no one has the resources or the time to refute its numbers or time schedules. I’m not the first to accuse the fox of guarding the henhouse and tweaking a few numbers. How convenient and economical that the DPW keeps its own records, monitors itself, conducts its own water tests and furnishes the results.

Incestuous, yes, but think of all the money we’re saving.

PATICIA MACK NEWTON, The Elfin Forrest Coalition, Escondido