Hahn Urges Regulators to Consider Prosecution at Landfill
Continuing his recent push to uncover possible violations at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill, City Atty. James Hahn met with environmental regulators Thursday and urged them to consider criminal prosecution against the dump.
Air quality officials have cited the landfill for methane gas emissions that exceeded state standards, but regulators said last month that landfill operator Browning Ferris Industries Inc. had fixed most of the problems.
Still, Hahn, a candidate for mayor, said he wants to determine whether any criminal laws were broken.
He started a working group to examine the matter, inviting officials from the South Coast Air Quality Management District and other environmental agencies to meet with him and prosecutors from his Environmental Protection Unit.
In October, air quality officials issued two notices of violation to Browning Ferris for improper excavation work, and four “notices to comply,” telling the landfill to stop allowing methane gas emissions that exceed state standards.
Air quality officials said they will complete a review of violations within 30 days.
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