Canyon of Controversy

Elsmere Canyon, home of peaceful trails and power lines, natural springs and seeping oil, may soon be home to a 190-million-ton landfill.

Residents in neighboring Santa Clarita are fighting to keep from becoming the receptacle of the Los Angeles area’s refuse, and the reliability of the project’s liner is one the of the main points of dispute. While BKK Corp. insists that its liner would safeguard nearby ground-water sources, dump opponents say there is no liner that would provide enough protection.

The dump, which has been in development since 1985, could be in operation as early as 1997, but first must pass a series of regulatory barriers. Hearings on the project’s environmental impact report will begin by the end of the year, but several regulatory agencies have a say in its operation and hearings could continue through 1995.

Santa Clarita, meanwhile has allotted $600,000 to wage a media campaign against the project and promises to raise opposition to the dump at all government levels.

The Process An environmental impact report on the project is expected in the fall, followed by extensive public hearings on the report. The landfill, as designed, includes Angeles National Forest land owned by the U.S. Forest Service and requires that the Forest Service approve a land swap with BKK. The landfill must also receive a land-use permit from Los Angeles County, which has tended to favor the landfill. The Regional Water Quality Control Board must also grant a discharge permit for the landfill. The landfill also requires a solid waste facilities permit from the state Integrated Waste Management Board. Landfill Liner System Granular material: 4 feet of gravel that allows liquids to filter down to a collective system. “Leachate” collection: A web of pipes running on the floor of the landfill to remove “leachate” or stray liquids. Polyethlene liner: 0.08 to 0.12 of an inch of plastic. “Underdrain” system: About 6 feet of gravel and a discharge pipe running under the landfill to catch ground water and prevent it from rising into the landfill. Clay liner: 2 feet of low-permeability soil to trap liquids. The Proposal Capacity: 190 million tons of garbage. Daily limits: As much as 16,500 tons. Area: 720 acres of landfill, about 180 acres of roads and support facilities, and 1,800 acres of buffer space. Life span: 50 years. Methane gas removal: Wells between 60 to 100 feet deep would suck out garbage-generated methane gas, which would be burned off or used as an energy source. Roads: Includes construction of a truck lane on the Antelope Valley Freeway, an off-ramp for the exclusive use of the landfill and access roads. Truck traffic: Between 1,200 and 2,400 truckloads a day. Arguments for: The Los Angeles area is running out of landfill space, although it is unclear how much space is left for how long. Due to the recession and the success of recycling drives, the life of existing landfills has been extended.

But, BKK Corp. says, the precise expiration date of the landfill is insignificant in the long run.

“Whether we run out of landfill capacity in 4.8 years or 5.3 years, the fact is we are still going to run out, so we are going to need more disposal capacity.” Ken Kazarian, president of BKK Corp., which has been working on the project since 1985. Arguments against: A dump in Elsmere Canyon could contaminate ground-water supplies and clog freeways with garbage trucks. A large chunk of Angeles National Forest would be taken from the public.

The liner remains a dominant concern. “There is no technology known at this point that can guarantee 100%, even with all of the safeguards that might be built into a new landfill,that it might not crack or break or leak, especially since we are close to earthquake faults.

During the recent drought, McLean notes, 90% of the water used in the area came from underground supplies. The best long-term solution for handling trash is hauling it via rail to remote, rural sites, she says. Marsha McLean, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Canyons Preservation Committee. Researched and written by JONATHAN GAW Los Angeles Times