Clearing the Air Over Lopez Canyon Landfill

One item which is continually brought up in arguments opposing Lopez Canyon is landfill gas emissions (“Proposal for King Beating Site Criticized,” Aug. 16).

The landfill is required by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to keep emissions under 500 parts per million. In any given month, approximately six to 12 events are recorded in which emission exceedances are noted and subsequently fixed. Contrary to the opinions of many landfill opponents, an emission exceedance, or “hot spot” of this nature, does not equal a violation as defined by the AQMD. Rather, the AQMD cites violations resulting from difficulties in repairing an exceedance area. This has happened. However, emission violations are not “recurring” and are actually more of an environmental concern than a safety issue.

In “It’s Time to Finally Shut Down the Lopez Canyon Dump” (Feb. 12), Assemblyman Richard Katz and City Councilman Richard Alarcon said, “Ambient air monitored at the perimeter of [Lopez Canyon] registers air toxicity 200 times the accepted health risk standard.” However, the city’s mitigation consultant, as authorized by the Community Mitigation Task Force, released a report in September, 1994, stating, “In comparison to air quality throughout the South Coast Basin, air quality at or near the landfill is about the same if not somewhat better.”

STEVEN SAVAGE, Whittier. Savage is a site engineer for the city of Los Angeles at Lopez Canyon.