The Hearing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) will hold several public hearings to consider the issuance of an Order for Abatement addressing odors from the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar.

Below is the hearing schedule:

Saturday, August 27, 2016, at 9:00 am
Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences
Multipurpose Room
10445 Balboa Blvd.
Granada Hills, CA 91344

September 6, 7, 8, 2016, at 9:00 am
Hearing Board Room
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765

Saturday, September 10, 2016, at 9:00 am
Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences
Multipurpose Room
10445 Balboa Blvd.
Granada Hills, CA 91344

As the Councilmember of the Granada Hills community where the Sunshine Canyon Landfill is located, it has been my unfortunate predicament to see the odor issues at the landfill escalate, without having the jurisdiction necessary to mitigate the problem. I have served the Twelfth District through the previous South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Stipulated Order of Abatement, and have been extremely disappointed at the lack of improvement in conditions despite myriad actions on the part of the City, Local Enforcement Agency and even the landfill operator.

In my position as a Sunshine Canyon Landfill Local Enforcement Agency (SCL LEA) Board Member, I requested the SCAQMD to form, organize and lead the SCAQMD Interagency Working Group on Sunshine Canyon Landfill Odor Mitigation, and requested collaboration from all of the member agencies in recognition that SCAQMD has the primary statutory jurisdiction over the control of odors at the landfill.

It is my sincere hope that the draft Order of Abatement be enforced so that the SCL LEA’s included recommendations can be fully implemented without the impediment of other government or regulatory agencies. This community has suffered enough.

-Mitchell Englander, Councilmember Twelfth District

Click here to read the full letter submitted at the AQMD Town Hall last night.

Click here to view the Order of Abatement.

SCAQMD will host a Town Hall Meeting to discuss air quality and odor issues related to Sunshine Canyon Landfill.

Thursday, August 18
6 p.m.

Van Gogh Elementary School, Auditorium
17160 Van Gogh Street
Granada Hills, CA 91344

The next Sunshine Canyon Landfill Local Enforcement Agency Board of Directors Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 2:30 pm in # 201 (2nd Floor), University of West LA Law School, 9201 Oakdale Avenue, Chatsworth, CA  91311.

AGENDA: https://scl-cac.org/wp-content/uploads/docs/SCL-LEA_2016-06-21.pdf

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) will host a follow-up meeting regarding concerns expressed by community members at the town hall meeting held on April 21 on air quality and odor issues related to Sunshine Canyon Landfill located in Sylmar. We invite you to attend this meeting to hear from SCAQMD about updated activities at Sunshine Canyon Landfill and to provide us with your comments and input.

AGENDA: https://scl-cac.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/June9SCAQMDTownHallMeetingRESunshineCanyonLandfill.pdf

The SCAQMD is the government agency responsible for protecting your health from the impacts of air pollution. We believe that everyone should have equal protection. Please join us for this meeting.

For more information, please call Derrick J. Alatorre, SCAQMD Public Advisor at (909) 396-2432 or by email at publicadvisor@aqmd.gov.

As you are aware, members of the community filed a class action lawsuit against Sunshine Canyon Landfill.  The AQMD is not a party to the lawsuit, however the Landfill’s counsel subpoenaed the contact information of individuals who have filed complaints with the District.  The District fought the production of that information, except for the complainants who are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who in theory have already disclosed their identity.

The superior court judge did not agree with the District’s arguments and ordered production of the complainant identifying information to be provided to a third party to send out an “opt-out” notice, where if the individual does not “opt-out”, the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ counsel will receive their contact information limited to use in the lawsuit.

The District filed a writ before the court of appeals to challenge the trial court’s decision, which we just found out was denied.  I wanted to personally alert you to the possibility that members of the community who have complained to the District, may be receiving “opt-out” notices which requires them to affirmatively notify the third party mailer that they do not want their identifying contact information released.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions or require additional information.  I don’t anticipate any notices being sent until next month at the earliest.

Thank you,

Nicholas A. Sanchez/Senior Deputy District Counsel
South Coast Air Quality Management District
phone/909.396.3400
fax/909.396.2961