Deadline for Landfill Decision Extended

Two cities, Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, and the county have until Tuesday--and possibly longer--to consider joining Moorpark and Simi Valley in burying their trash at the Simi Valley Landfill in order to lower dumping fees.

The deadline for the cities and the county to make an agreement with Waste Management, the landfill operator, was set for Friday. But with only Moorpark and Simi Valley on board, Waste Management has extended the deadline until Tuesday at the earliest, when the county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the proposal, said Joe Hreha, deputy director of Simi Valley’s Environmental Services Department.

The Moorpark and Simi Valley city councils have signed off on the agreement, which would guarantee the delivery of at least 1,800 tons of trash a day to the landfill in exchange for a 34% reduction in dumping fees.

The two cities need commitments from other cities to reach the minimum and earn the fee reduction, Hreha said.

Thousand Oaks and Camarillo have expressed interest in the agreement, but fficials said they were concerned about locking themselves into such a long-term contract, which calls for a 15-year agreement between the cities and the landfill.