IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD : Casmalia: A Legacy of Toxic Woes

Two decades ago, folks in Casmalia thought it might be a good idea to have a landfill in the hills above their tiny town in northern Santa Barbara County, five miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The dump would provide jobs and income to the county and a safe place to put wastes from local oil production sites.

Then the landfill became one of Southern California’s major dumping grounds. Tanker trucks, hauling the noxious leftovers from a wide range of industrial, chemical and commercial uses, were so numerous they caused traffic jams on the narrow roads to the dump. The air became so foul that the town’s one school was closed for several days. Critics blamed the dump for health problems--from headaches to cancer.

Casmalia became the center of an environmental firestorm. Debate raged from courtrooms and meeting halls of Santa Barbara County to the capital steps of Sacramento. Even former dump workers began to help landfill opponents.

Over the years, Casmalia area residents won two victories: They got the dump closed and settled a lawsuit with the dump’s owner for a reported $10 million. But the once-stable town, where people lived for generations surrounded by ranches and vineyards, has been changed forever.

The 200 residents who remain are left with two major lawsuits unresolved, a thicket of environmental questions unanswered and the remnants of 4 billion pounds of hazardous wastes percolating underneath a now dirt-capped dump. Federal environmental officials say cleanup operations could eventually cost more than $100 million.

A DUMP’S LIFE CYCLE

1972: Casmalia Resources dump opens.

Early-1980s: Dump becomes one of four major hazardous waste sites in Southern California generating hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in fees for Santa Barbara County.

1985: Lawsuit is filed against dump operator by 325 plaintiffs who blame cancer and other ailments on the dump and say it is also devaluing their property.

1989: Dump shut down. Federal officials levy $6.2 million fine against operator, citing environmental violations. Case is still unresolved.

1991: Dump operator settles suit with 325 plaintiffs. Fearing possible ground-water contamination, Santa Barbara County and the U.S. Justice Department file suit to compel operator to clean up site. Suit is still pending.

1992: At the request of state officials, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sends team to help mobilize initial cleanup.

1994: EPA notifies 65 firms considered among the major sources of hazardous wastes at Casmalia that they likely will have to help pay for the cleanup.

HOW THEY VIEW IT

Naomi Schwartz, former aide to State Sen. Gary Hart, now a member of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Casmalia is a frustrating and scary case in terms of what we’ve learned in the last 20 years about how we have handled hazardous wastes, where the financial responsibility rests and the need for a place to safely dispose of toxic waste.

In terms of neutralizing that site, it’s a nightmare. We know what’s out there is hazardous and that it has a very long life. One of the principal concerns is the potential for contaminating the ground-water supply of the Santa Maria Valley. Casmalia is not going away. This is our legacy.

Richard Brenneman, Santa Maria attorney who represented the 325 plaintiffs who settled suit against operator in 1991.

The effect the dump had on the life of Casmalia was tremendous. They had a nice community. Families lived there for years. Now, the core of people who fought this dump are gone. They’re either sick, they died or they got their settlement check and are gone. Most of the people who live there can’t live anywhere else. It’s just the cheapest place to live.

Kenneth McCalip, principal and superintendent of the Casmalia Elementary School District.

During the key years, 1984 and 1985, it was horrendous. We had episodes when the community would be engulfed in fumes. I still have lingering problems with my lungs. But the air around Casmalia is much better now, at least with a dirt cap on the landfill site. And noticeably the kids’ health has improved.

I suppose people did learn lessons from this, that even a small town has the capability of fighting back.

Daniel Hemker, Chevron chemical engineer and co-chair of the Casmalia Steering Committee, representing some of the companies that used the landfill.

The site is not really a short-term threat to the environment. But there are closure activities that need to be done to ensure it stays that way.

Hopefully we’re starting the process to bring in other former customers, and perhaps bring Casmalia Resources back into the picture and get the job done and behind us so the site doesn’t deteriorate and cost more to clean up in the future.

Researched by BERKLEY HUDSON / For The Times