Los Angeles County filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction on Thursday, May 29, in its ongoing lawsuit against Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

This marks a significant legal step toward holding the landfill accountable for persistent and harmful odors impacting nearby communities, said Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

The motion seeks immediate court action to compel stronger mitigation measures and protect the health and quality of life of residents in Castaic, Val Verde and surrounding Santa Clarita Valley areas.

Barger, whose district includes the impacted communities, emphasized the importance of this action in a statement released to the press.

“Filing this injunction is another critical step in my unrelenting work to advocate for residents who have endured far too long the noxious odors and disruptions caused by Chiquita Canyon Landfill,” said Barger. “I will continue fighting to ensure accountability and relief. The county’s action today reflects that commitment.”

The Motion for Preliminary Injunction seeks court intervention to mandate urgent relief measures, including relocation assistance and home hardening for the most affected residents, to alleviate the health and quality of life impacts reported throughout the region.

This legal action by L.A. County marks the latest development in a broader lawsuit filed by the county against Chiquita Canyon Landfill, seeking long-term solutions and accountability.

A lawsuit filed by L.A. County in December of 2024 alleges that operators of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill failed to control a persistent and harmful underground smoldering reaction within the landfill, which has been emitting noxious odors, hazardous gases and toxic leachate into nearby communities and the environment for nearly two years.

A group of Castaic residents filed a lawsuit against Waste Connections, the company that operated the landfill until it was closed on Jan. 1, in federal court in October 2024, alleging the company, failed to properly manage the landfill’s gas capture, control systems and leachate systems.

On Wednesday, May 28, the operators of the landfill held an invite-only media tour of the site.

John Perkey, vice president and deputy legal counsel for Waste Connections, disputed the findings of state and federal regulators regarding the growth of the reaction area.

Waste Connection officials said the company organized the media briefing after two years of working on problems at the landfill to share its progress with residents.

The California Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Toxic Substances Control reported in April that the chemcial reaction within the landfill had tirpled in size.

During the tour officials challenged the state’s findings.