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Residents of Castaic and Val Verde are wondering whether accepting aid from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill Relief Fund will affect their future legal options. And after the landfill’s response did not address residents’ concerns, County Supervisor Kathryn Berger issued a statement Thursday calling for the landfill to be built. It means providing support to residents “without conditions.”
The move comes after U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Santa Clarita) sent a bipartisan letter jointly signed by Ventura County legislators and several state legislators urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency for the landfill. This was done in response to what was done. This week, he pushed for closure while fixing the problem.
A representative for the Chiquita Canyon Landfill said the facility was still working on answering questions Thursday morning, but sent a link to the language in the application and said the language in the relief fund application would preclude residents’ ability to sue. He denied that the purpose was to interfere.
During Tuesday’s monthly Community Advisory Board meeting, one resident asked the landfill if it was giving up responsibility by accepting Community Benefits Fund assistance.
John Purkey, vice president and general counsel for Chiquita’s owner, Waste Connections, responded: “I cannot comment on ongoing litigation.”
After receiving more questions from residents, Berger issued a statement Thursday:
“I recently requested that Waste Connections, the parent company of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, provide funding to assist communities suffering the effects of the events occurring at (Chiquita). “We called for funding not only for housing enhancements and utility relief, but also relocation services for those who choose to relocate,” wrote Berger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley. “My hope is that the owners of the landfill will respond to my request for community support and provide unconditional support. It shows that we are working in good faith to meet the needs of our customers. Anything less will not be accepted.”
He also called on the landfill to address community concerns about its conditions “as quickly and transparently as possible.”
This concern, also posted online, stems from the following statement:
“By submitting this form, the compensation you receive through this program will be limited to: /OR ANY OTHER PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT YOU ALLEG TO SUFFER.
A spokesperson for Waste Connections said Thursday morning that the landfill is working to address the concerns.
Disclosure concerns
Representatives from the plaintiffs’ law firm, which is suing to recover costs residents face as a result of the landfill, and in a separate writ seeking to shut down the landfill, say the landfill’s practices are “a little… It’s questionable,” he said.
Shelby Miner, a partner at Seti Orchid Miner, is investigating whether accepting funds on behalf of residents could affect future claims in her firm’s class action lawsuit. said.
Referring to her interaction with Purkey at the Chiquita conference, she said: “In an ongoing lawsuit, not disclosing something that materially affects someone’s rights to participate and potentially recover is kind of a problem. It’s a big deal. It’s really a misunderstanding. I invite you.”
Miner urges residents to read the fine print, as documentation from residents indicates that “residents who complete and participate in the relief program appear to be waiving future damages or claims.” He said he wanted to.
Representatives for the landfill denied that was the case Thursday and said a statement would be released soon.
Miner said the government should handle the spending so that residents don’t have to disclose information to companies, such as Social Security numbers, household information and other sensitive information that could ultimately lead to lawsuits. That is the plaintiff’s office’s position, Miner added. For damages.
He also said residents should always be careful what information they disclose to third parties, whether they plan to file a lawsuit or not, and that information can later be used to reduce the amount of a lawsuit settlement. He added that it could be used.
If a business is being sued for specific damages by a resident, the business can use that declaration to dispute later claims, Miner said.
garcia’s letter
Garcia’s letter seeks the governor’s cooperation on the Chiquita Canyon Landfill and was co-signed by Rep. Julia Brownlee (D-Oxnard). Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, and Sen. Henry Stern, Democratic-Calabasas. Rep. Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and Rep. Steve Bennett, D-Ventura.
Mr. Garcia represents the entire SCV, including the landfill and surrounding areas. Mr. Schiavo and Mr. Wilk each represent a large portion of the SCV, including Landfill, Castaic, and Val Verde. The Castaic and Val Verde landfills are just outside Stern’s district, but he represents other western areas of the SCV that could be affected, including Valencia and parts of the Stevenson Ranch. There is.
“The ongoing enforcement actions since last year have been ineffective in alleviating the key issues impacting our constituents. It is clear that significant action is needed to provide relief to our constituents. ,” Garcia said in the letter. “Therefore, on behalf of the affected communities, we ask you to exercise your authority under the California Constitution and the California Emergency Services Act and declare a state of emergency in Los Angeles County. The state can mobilize state resources to quickly resolve this crisis and provide adequate relief to voters.”
The causes for the national measures include a number of health effects on residents, including nosebleeds, headaches, eye irritation, shortness of breath and nausea, he wrote.
Monitoring requirements by state agencies are not helping residents, the letter said, adding, “Residents in the area surrounding the Chiquita Canyon Landfill are facing increased air quality.”
“Contamination has continued unabated for more than five months, including elevated concentrations of benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and sulfur compounds,” Schiavo said in Monday’s letter requesting the declaration.
When asked at the regional advisory committee why the request was necessary, Andrea Rosenthal, Schiavo’s field representative, said it would help cut down on red tape.
Schiavo’s office announced Thursday that the governor had granted the request but had not responded regarding a deadline.
A representative from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said the agency was working to respond to the request as of press time.
Governor Garcia called for the landfill to be closed while the problem is addressed, citing the health impact on residents.
County officials have previously said closing the landfill won’t immediately address the odor, but Garcia and others noted that nothing else seems to be working.
For further community discussion, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has also created a website for upcoming community meetings around the landfill: epa.gov/ca/chiquita-canyon-landfill-castaic-ca. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control has also launched a website, dtsc.ca.gov/chiquita-landfill.
The EPA’s website details previous EPA actions regarding the landfill, including the EPA’s Feb. 21 unilateral order and its goals and requirements.
Thayne Berg, who has been speaking to the community on behalf of the EPA about actions at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, said the order has two implications. The goal was to control the reaction and limit the impact outside the site.
She looked forward to hearing from residents in the multipurpose room at Castaic Middle School (28900 Hillcrest Parkway) on March 21 at 6 p.m.
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