Two local community groups sent an administrative complaint to multiple agencies Monday, alleging Spanish-speaking residents were wrongfully shut out of the public review process for the proposed Chiquita Canyon Landfill expansion.
“After repeated requests for Spanish language translation on all documents relating to the expansion project, there has been no effort to include the Latino community,” according to a statement from the complainants, Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Landfill Compliance and Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment.
Citizens for Compliance and SCOPE, along with Val Verde resident Noe Rico on behalf of 56 others, said they sent a civil rights complaint to the attorneys for the county of Los Angeles – the entity that will ultimately approve or deny the expansion – and to CAL EPA, CalRecycle, the California Air Board and the Attorney General’s office. They plan to deliver the complaint in person Thursday morning to Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich’s local office.
The groups allege that by “refus(ing) to translate permit documents, public hearings and notifications into Spanish” and by “pursuing the expansion despite confirming that this expansion would have a negative, disparate impact on the environment of a Latino, Spanish-speaking low-income and heavily polluted community which the agencies themselves acknowledge is highly vulnerable and at-risk,” the county is in violation of Section 11135 of the Government Code.
Section 11135 states that “no person in the State of California shall, on the basis of race, national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, genetic information, or disability, be unlawfully denied full and equal access to the benefits of, or be unlawfully subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity…”
“I believe anything about the landfill should be translated into Spanish. They don’t let anyone know what is going on and people are really upset and angry that their rights are being ignored,” longtime Val Verde resident Theresa Martinez said in a statement released by the organizations.
They state that Val Verde is “67.8 percent Hispanic or Latino” and that 55.2 percent of residents who live near the landfill speak Spanish at home.
In a statement, landfill spokesman John Musella said: “Chiquita Canyon remains confident that the county of Los Angeles conducted the public review of our Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) legally and properly. Despite misleading information, Chiquita Canyon continues to work with the County of Los Angeles in responding to public comments received during the extensive public review of the Draft EIR.”
1997 conditions of approval (click image to enlarge)
The complaint accuses the county of breach of contract to the extent that the approval documents for the last expansion in 1997 included an agreement among the landowner, the operator and the community that the landfill would shut in 2019 at the latest. The groups accuse the county of being complicit because other development approvals that are going through the approval process assume Chiquita will expand, thus “giv(ing) the county an implied bias toward keeping the landfill open.”
The closure terms were explicitly included in the county’s conditions of approval for the 1997 expansion.
“Residents are furious at the county and (the landfill operator) for the blatant disregard of the 1997 agreement requiring the landfill to close by 2019. This expansion is contingent on the exploitation of a low-income minority community,” said Erica Larsen on behalf of the Citizens for Compliance group.
The complaint also alleges that air pollution monitoring equipment that was promised as part of the 1997 expansion was removed years ago, putting public health at risk.
“The county knew people were already sick from the landfill,” Rico said in the statement. “It needs to be shut down so we can be sure our kids grow in a healthy and safe environment.”
The proposed expansion would widen the active footprint of the landfill and double the daily intake of trash from 6,000 tons to 12,000.
Chiquita Canyon accepts trash from Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura county communities, and elsewhere. According to state data, less than 20 percent of the waste that goes into Chiquita emanates from the Santa Clarita Valley.
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119 Comments
Learn English.
Wow, congrats Brian. Took only two words to prove you’re a dick.
Nah you are in America . Learn it just like we would have to learn in the other countries
We don’t have an official language in this country. Also, who are you to presume they aren’t attempting to learn the language?
We don’t have an official language in this country. Also, who are you to presume they aren’t attempting to learn the language?
Saying we should learn English is not a bad thing. 80% of this country speaks English as their first language, has nothing to do with racism. Race and language don’t really have anything to do with each other, not all white people speak English not all Latins speak Spanish. Its just plain ignorant to say that. Now I understand along with what I would hope most southwestern people know, is that Spanish was a language in this area before English, but that doesn’t change the fact that English is still by far the most commonly used language here. You go to the DMV and take a behind the wheel test, You must know how to explain what your doing in English. You can take written test in different languages but not the behind the wheel, (I work for a driving school). Now there are laws requiring documents such as ballots to be printed in multiple languages when there are large numbers of non-English speakers in an area. Now Santa Clarita area, Only 30 percent of the cities population speak a language that’s not English. 3 out of 10 is not considered a Large number. Now 31 states have English as their official language Including California under the English-only movement “All laws of the State of California, and all official writings, and the executive, legislative, and judicial proceedings shall be conducted, preserved, and published in no other than the English language.”……….. I wasn’t being a dick nor trying to, Getting pissed off is something people choose to do, I just merely gave some people the opportunity to be upset, But regardless of what anybody says you’ll ALWAYS upset somebody, So saying if you have nothing nice to say than don’t say anything at all, means everybody should just keep their mouths shut on account well always inadvertently upset somebody….. And seems a heap of new houses are being built all across SCV which means more garbage. More and more people are moving here or wanting to move here, Crime is going up and this city is slowly turning into the valley… .. Now there’s heaps of language immersion programs that English and non English speaking people can go to to learn from one another. My original comment had nothing to do with the landfill. I was merely stating that most this country speaks English So instead of complaining learn it. Apologies if what i said makes no sense. – ASD or Aspergers here and i’m not to good at communicating what I want to say, seems it only makes sense to me half the time… Again. technically the dump is not violating 11135-11139.7
Que paso..wait? I know English and I bet you only know one language. When you speak more languages than me, we may talk in Italian. What ? Yes I know Italian, too. Brian Schulz.
What is your point Ludy?
Speaking more than one language, and still demanding special attention? If language is the issue at hand, Brian is correct.
assimilation pays off, stop staying here for the handouts
the main culprit for giving out handouts… Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
You all realize that the dump has been handing out hush money right? If they hadn’t done anything wrong they wouldn’t be trying to buy the silence of Val Verde residents, the way they bought the silence of Castaic and Flo Lawrence.
What the hell are you talking about?
Handouts? How about some one hand you brains? You’re so basic with your lame comment.
Paquita. Thank you for proving how little you know about anything to rest of us. It wasn’t necessary but certainly appreciated.
Who are you the Borg
Who are you the Borg
White people are the only ones to expect & receive handouts!!
White people are the only ones to expect & receive handouts!!
Where? Donde?
Should the expansion go through, we’d be looking at the largest landfill in the nation and one of the largest in the world sitting in the backyard of Castaic and Santa Clarita. How can we just stand by and let this happen??
Brian Schulz. Learn to conceal your face and name before insulting an entire group of people that are angry to begin with.
Many other races currently live near the landfill, and many more people of various races will live near it in the future due to the 20,000 homes which are being built across the way along the 126. The health and well-being of thousands of people are in jeopardy. The landfill is not only seeking to break its contract, which is not just, but it also has knowingly received illegal material and does not consistently monitor its odors. If it expands, the situation will be far worse. Especially as it would be 500 feet from the nearby business park, notably the U.S. Post Office in Castaic.
Basura.
White people never learned the native American language when we came here. We just tried to kill them all.
Clearly we didn’t kill all of them. ..or you wouldn’t be playing slots at Morongo.
Here we go with this crap
So sorry to see the above comments. When people stand up against big corporations like waste companies that want to dump in their back yards after promising that the dump would be closed in 2019, its important for all of us to support them. They are standing up for us too. This landfill will increase air pollution and truck traffic that will affect the health of all of our children, too. It is close to schools.This community is multi-ethnic. They unified to support each other and their neighbors so that eveyone has a full understanding of what is being proposed. They are to be lauded for their diversified and caring cmmunity. Go Val Verde! Los Angeles County needs to follow the law.
Way to fight Val Verde!! Santa Clarita needs to stand up with Val Verde this expansion will affect all of us!!
Yet another example of non willing participants whom live in the US …tough luck. No sympathy here
It’s funny how ignorant people can be, they get so blinded by hatred, superiority, and their own racism, they miss the entire point! The expansion is the problem, and a corporation behind closed doors and hand shakes agreed they didn’t care about the health of an entire community, moreover the contract they signed. When the pollution reaches the you ignorant snobs we’ll see if you get it then.
Non willing participants? Don’t be an idiot. That’s just lame you moron
And you’re just another example of an ignorant white racist
Fear of learnings never healthy. Hiding is worse.
Rosetta Stone, that’s a good example. Use it. Or stop whining.
Fear of learning? You’re a joke.
I am not a racist. I’ll tell you what I am though….I’m a regular person who has NO SYMPATHY for anyone who isn’t willing to help themselves. The fact that someone wants to have a voice at a public meeting and doesn’t prepare for it is THEIR problem, not the rest of us. The continued whining every time something like this surfaces is ridiculous and proves how some people will never move forward in their pathetic lives. WHY??? Because they EXPECT everyone else to kiss their asses. I won’t and never will. If you’ll excuse me now,….I think I. Gonna puke.
Grant…. what is ignorant is the fact that this has started a lawsuit.
Grant…. what is ignorant is the fact that this has started a lawsuit.
I have a friend who is not a “native speaker” of English, she has taken classes, she has tried hard to learn the language and she still flubs up. She, simply because she has an accent, is treated like a second class citizen even though she has done exactly what you suggest. It’s not as easy as “learn English,” it’s more like the expectation is “learn English, conform to our norms, conform to our culture, lose your accent, basically act like you are European and you’ll be fine.”
I have a friend who is not a “native speaker” of English, she has taken classes, she has tried hard to learn the language and she still flubs up. She, simply because she has an accent, is treated like a second class citizen even though she has done exactly what you suggest. It’s not as easy as “learn English,” it’s more like the expectation is “learn English, conform to our norms, conform to our culture, lose your accent, basically act like you are European and you’ll be fine.”
Sorry to hear anyone is treated “like a second class citizen” . I find it surprising that anyone whom may struggle with any language at all would not possess at least one friend or family member to accompany them if they needed verbal support, don’t you? Especially something as heart felt and as important as a landfill going in. It’s always a heated debate as we all know. I’m just trying to say, get help if and where you need it. I wouldn’t show up without it. I can’t respond to this anymore. People have to help themselves or ask . Good night.
Sorry to hear anyone is treated “like a second class citizen” . I find it surprising that anyone whom may struggle with any language at all would not possess at least one friend or family member to accompany them if they needed verbal support, don’t you? Especially something as heart felt and as important as a landfill going in. It’s always a heated debate as we all know. I’m just trying to say, get help if and where you need it. I wouldn’t show up without it. I can’t respond to this anymore. People have to help themselves or ask . Good night.
White people never learned the native American language when we came here. We just tried to kill them all.
White people never learned the native American language when we came here. We just tried to kill them all.
And they have to pull the racist card….Always! Grandparents came from Italy, did they learn the language? Yes! Did they pull the RACE card. No!
Dianne Fioretti the issue is more than getting someone to help translate. The public notices were only in English so unless you spoke it you wouldn’t even know it was something to learn about. That is just wrong
Also, the Draft Environmental Impact Report is near 600 pages… try to get a translator for that.
That’s a lot.
That’s a lot.
So sorry to see the above comments. These folks are standing up for all of us. This landfill will affect the entire valley, bad air pollution, bad traffic. This is an ethnically diverse community that has come together to support their neighbors and each other. , for one, am proud to see a community that cares for each other and will stand up against big corporations. They are standing up for all of us. Los Angeles County needs to follow the law.
STATEMENT BY CHIQUITA CANYON:
“Chiquita Canyon remains confident that the County of Los Angeles conducted the public review of our Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) legally and properly. Despite misleading information from a small group of project opponents, Chiquita Canyon continues to work with the County of Los Angeles in responding to public comments received during the extensive public review of the Draft EIR.” – Chiquita Canyon
Stop being ignorant and racist! This landfill will affect everything and everyone, people need to be informed. The damage won’t care what nationality/language you speak.
Ignorant and racist?
I think you mean elitist.
And spoon feeding a tiny population special treatment is far more elitist than the majority here. Again, ms. Sandoval, I notice that you are berating us in English. ..why is that?
Are you serious? Wow, trying to bring awareness as to how this can potentially, will cause many problems for people’s health and our kids lives regardless of wich language you speak. You come up with stupidity!! I’m shocked! You don’t even deserve a response. So sad
I thought they were supposed to build new houses in that area, so how’s that going to work?
Sorry to see some of these comments. These people are standing up for all of us. This dump will affect our entire valley with air pollution and traffic. I am proud of people that have the guts to stand up for their rights against a big waste corporation that won’t even keep their promises to the community about shutting down this dump in 2019. This is a diverse community that have come together to support each other – black, white, latino. This is very cool. Los Angeles County needs to follow the law.
Many different races are currently affected by the landfill and will be affected by an expansion. The U.S. Post Office will be 500 feet from it if the expansion is approved.
This is America, we speak English here. Like the first commenter said, “LEARN ENGLISH”. You want to speak Spanish at home – ok. But dont come here, live here, work here and not speak and read English and then complain about it. We should not cater to any specific demographic, ever.
Certain regional areas have less expensive real estate for specific reasons… Val Verde is cheap, because its next to a landfill. The end.
They are conducting business just as any othe business conducts business – grow, expand, more profits, more to the surrounding areas in support. Pretty standard.
Statement by Chiquita Canyon: “Chiquita Canyon remains confident that the County of Los Angeles conducted the public review of our Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) legally and properly. Despite misleading information, Chiquita Canyon continues to work with the County of Los Angeles in responding to public comments received during the extensive public review of the Draft EIR.”
Lot of rude and hateful comments here on this post…what if you lived in the area next to this site and were promised that the site would close in 2019 making it healthier for you and your family to live, and instead they opted to double the size making it twice as unhealthy. It does not matter if they are Latino, Hispanic, French, Native American, Swede, Russian, American, German ( I can go on). The problem lies within what was approved in 1997 and what is actually happening. Oh…and there are plenty of English speaking Americans that live in the area too.
Always the white man making rude racist comments…TYPICAL
How is saying that they should learn the language racist?
How is saying that they should learn the language racist?
It’s not racist. It’s ignorant.
Eileen, please don’t judge all Caucasians by some of these nasty comments. Some people are just bigots, but not everyone. I don’t live in the area, but it seems incomprehensible to me that this information was not printed in Spanish.
Eileen, please don’t judge all Caucasians by some of these nasty comments. Some people are just bigots, but not everyone. I don’t live in the area, but it seems incomprehensible to me that this information was not printed in Spanish.
I don’t and sorry if I offered you.
Always the Race Card! How about learning the language!!! My Grandparents came from Italy, did they learn the language YES! Did they pull the Race Card? No!! Nuff Said !
Regardless if they were able to learn English, something important like this should be written in Spanish for native speakers, especially for a community like Val Verde. Those who may know English may not be able to interpret a full on document and may not be able to understand the nuances thst come second nature to native English speakers.
you nailed it Caelan :)
A document prepared with English legal terms, in this country, wouldn’t properly translate in Spanish anyway. The nuances are then lost on someone who is unfamiliar with our language.
There are plans to build thousands of homes on the south side of Highway 126 west of IS-5. Ventura County has been fighting this development for years. These new homes will also be smelling the DUMP just like Val Verde, Live Oak, the RV park and the industrial center. Anonymous you must be the PR rep for the DUMP – John Musella – or the former resident of Val Verde that had to move away from Santa Clarita. Either way, there is no misleading information in this article.
Why didn’t they bring their own translator?
This is bigger than the Val Verde community. This is going to affect Live Oak Elementary school, SCVi, Kindercare and all the businesses in the industrial center in Castaic. Our kids are going to be exposed to cancerous materials.
I get it, even those who try to learn English, I can imagine they where using bigger words than “English as a second language people” would be able to comprehend.
Benny Ohanian….every voting ballot is in about 10 different languages. They don’t need a translator to vote, why should they need one to fight for their health?
You are all missing the point IF the landfill expansion goes through Santa Clarita Valley will be home to the largest Landfill in the US. What a thing to be known for. Welcome to awesome town.
This. Just. …this.
Thank you
Translator! there’s an idea or hmmm OR maybe the document should have been produced in 28+ languages! I know some immigrant Chinese & Vietnamese people in Val Verde they barely speak English. I’ve heard some strong German accents from people at meetings to. what to do, what to do
Imagine the stench that will blow over into the Santa Clarita valley if this happens.
Imagine the stench that will blow over into the Santa Clarita valley if this happens.
To clarify: this complaint is not only about the lack of Spanish language translation. It is about civil rights laws that ensure environmentsl justice no matter your income or race. This issue is about the county violating a contract – a promise – to close in 2019, or at 23 million tons. This is about placing the nation’s largest landfill intake facility next to a low-income minority community. This is an unfortunate, yet recurring trend in LA County and the State of California. Environment Justice laws state that everyone has the fundamental right to clean air, water and land. This is a community that was founded by African Americans during the segregation era and it has a long history as a minority community. This is the same community where trash from LA City, LA Harbor, Beverly Hills,Santa Monica and Orange County is deposited for eternity. The burden of pollution and waste should not be disproportionately carried by minority communities.
Oh god here we go again. Why is it their fault that these people can’t read and comprehend english? This state has become the sue capital of the world .
Oh god here we go again. Why is it their fault that these people can’t read and comprehend english? This state has become the sue capital of the world .
Some of these comments are scary. Don’t people know the United States never adopted an official language? And that U.S. citizens with a primary language other than English have a constitutional right to receive an election ballot in their home language? Don’t they teach that stuff in school anymore?
Some of these comments are scary. Don’t people know the United States never adopted an official language? And that U.S. citizens with a primary language other than English have a constitutional right to receive an election ballot in their home language? Don’t they teach that stuff in school anymore?
Your fact based information is a little too liberal for Santa Clarita, don’t ya know? Ideas like that cause problems in these parts…
Your fact based information is a little too liberal for Santa Clarita, don’t ya know? Ideas like that cause problems in these parts…
If this was in any other country they wouldn’t even think to have it in another language other than their own so why is the U.S. always having to bow down to everyone because we violate their rights. Try going to another country and pulling that crap and see where it gets you. Too many rights, too many problems!
I don’t know that that’s true. Canada? China? Many European countries provide accommodations to non native speakers. And English is taught along side the native languages in many countries despite it not being the native language. Ours is one of only a few countries who believe English is the “right” language and refuse to permit anything else to exist.
I don’t really know English and I will tell you Sarah Raye Raza that you’re wrong all the way. All I want is that landfill expansion away from my house. Thank you.
White families
White families
It’s interesting to see that one issue becomes two. Instead of debating and working towards fixing the presented issue, another (lame) issue of “learn English yer in ‘Merica” is presented…therefore overshadowing the whole point of this article.
Personally, I have considered moving out of country before. To countries that speak English fairly well. Despite that fact, I planned on learning the native tongue out of respect for the culture and people. (Also some countries require that you learn the native tongue, and that’s really the main difference between the States and them). But I digress.
As I have seen previously stated, who is not to say that people who do not know English well ARE trying to learn, and really want to have a say in this thing? They have more than a right to be heard, be it they speak English or Martian, they LIVE here. It is going to effect THEM as well. The fact that we are having to separate them as talk of them as some other group is terrible. We are the people. It matters to us all.
This has been my soap box for the day.
(Forgot to mention that certain other countries will greatly aid you in learning the native language. They actually are willing to help you.)
It’s interesting to see that one issue becomes two. Instead of debating and working towards fixing the presented issue, another (lame) issue of “learn English yer in ‘Merica” is presented…therefore overshadowing the whole point of this article.
Personally, I have considered moving out of country before. To countries that speak English fairly well. Despite that fact, I planned on learning the native tongue out of respect for the culture and people. (Also some countries require that you learn the native tongue, and that’s really the main difference between the States and them). But I digress.
As I have seen previously stated, who is not to say that people who do not know English well ARE trying to learn, and really want to have a say in this thing? They have more than a right to be heard, be it they speak English or Martian, they LIVE here. It is going to effect THEM as well. The fact that we are having to separate them as talk of them as some other group is terrible. We are the people. It matters to us all.
This has been my soap box for the day.
(Forgot to mention that certain other countries will greatly aid you in learning the native language. They actually are willing to help you.)
Unless you’re classifying speaking Spanish as a disability, (which, if you are, that’s really racist and insensitive), they didn’t violate 11135. They (residents) could have hired a translator or even used Google Translate for the fliers. Special consideration for language (not impairment) is not required.
To the idiots saying “U.S. doesn’t have an official language!” What language is the Constitution originally written in? Whatever language that is, is the official language. This applies to ALL countries.
If a U.S. citizen were to go to any other country and not speak their language, they are not going to make special considerations for you in manners of civil ordinance. It’s your damned fault for not being informed and speaking Italian/French/Eskimo/Whatever.
From the proposed expansion chart shown, it appears that it spreads EQUALLY in ALL directions. To make a special exemption and NOT spread it towards Val Verde is the MOST racist possibility. To segregate one community out and declare that they are exempt from it is saying that they are better than everyone else and that everyone ELSE is inferior to them, no matter what group falls in what category.
In conclusion, I’m alleging discrimination in your discrimination allegation, you racists.
Right or wrong, they’re alleging that creating health risks for an ethnic minority population (the immediate neighbors) and not creating equal health risks for the majority population violates the civil rights of the minority population as enumerated in 11135.
Right or wrong, they’re alleging that creating health risks for an ethnic minority population (the immediate neighbors) and not creating equal health risks for the majority population violates the civil rights of the minority population as enumerated in 11135.
But it doesn’t do that. It’s quite plainly following the highway until intersection in one direction, and then into commerce center in the other. It doesn’t extend towards Val Verde any further at all. So what do they want, absolutely no expansion? That doesn’t work for anyone. The only option left is that they’re laying the ground work for a lawsuit. Because hey, free money.
John Bergman, I am one of those idiots that will tell you that there is not official language in this country. If you are smart enough you will know it and probably will stop saying tons of stupid words..
And oddly enough, Ms. Palacios, you speak/write in. ..English. Why is that?
You could have stopped after your first sentence, Lucy. We got the picture by then.
You could have stopped after your first sentence, Lucy. We got the picture by then.
applause
Like I said! Always pulling the Race Card!!! My Grandparents came from Italy. Did they learn the language??? Yes !!!! Did they pull the Race card??? No!
I’m not the one complaining…
I don’t really care one way or the other about language services for non -English speaking literature being passed out. You will never make everyone happy.
If an issue is important, you find a way. If it’s not, you make an excuse.
How do these people survive in a grocery store, or doctors office?
They bring an interpreter everywhere?
I’ve never met anyone who lives here that can’t speak/read/comprehend some English. In fact, I’ve had landscapers that refused to speak English , until it came to their money. ..magically, the language barrier dissolved.
I play this landfill ends up elsewhere. ..but suing for a language barrier is a ridiculous waste of time and money.
Off the subject a bit, but my buddy carelessly dumped a few things at the landfill the other day that I thought they would never accept. Paint, broken computer equipment etc. I thought for sure he would be denied but nobody at the landfill said NO. Maybe the landfill sorts this type of stuff out later? I don’t live near the dump but it does make me wonder how damaging these items are when being dumped so near residents, business, and schools.
Bottom line is Everyone needs to know about the environmental and health impact this expansion will cause to all of us!
I just want the landfill expansion thousands of miles away from my house.
Keep expanding!!! We have lots of trash! The smell reminds me of Mexico before I swam across.
This illegal expansion will be squashed.
Cigar Dave : )
I am an RN that has been living in beautiful Val Verde; now for almost 20 years. I am presently working on my bacholers degree with the University of Phoenix Public Health Care Nursing; I recently assessed a family that lived in Castaic (their backyard meets Hasley Canyon, and one of their family members was recently diagnosed with Muliple Sclerosis (MS). Studies have been shown that environmental pollution can create chronic Disease.
I remember a friend that lived on Lincoln and her husband had GI and endocrine diseases causing despair to his quality of life. I would like more information on any chronically ill members that have lived in Val Verde five years or more; lets see if there is a pattern of disease amongst our poor poisoned community. If you have any information on any health issues concerning Val Verde please let me know.
Thank you,
The Val Verde Nurse