Official EAPD Resolution on the Scholl Canyon Dump Expansion
Approved unanimously, July 11, 2014
The city of Glendale, in planning to expand and prolong the life of its soon-to-be-filled Scholl Canyon Dump, directly abutting L.A.’s East Area, has identified serious, concerning, and hazardous effects on air quality and health for residents of neighborhoods in southeast Glendale, Eagle Rock, and southwest Pasadena. The city of Glendale has documented, in its draft Environmental Impact Report, that it would be unable to mitigate the "significant unavoidable adverse impacts related to air quality" stemming from the dump expansion.
The East Area of Los Angeles already faces major burdens from airborne contaminants, with the City of L.A. Health Atlas (June 2013) finding that the area's air quality ranks in the worst 10 percent of the state of California. Pollution from the dump expansion will worsen the air quality and health dangers affecting nearby residents, including:
Nitrogen oxides implicated in ozone formation, for which the area is already failing standards set by the EPA and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Ground-level ozone can inflame and scar lung tissue and harm breathing.
Both fine and coarse particles (PM2.5 and PM10), likely to be inhaled and damage lungs.
Increased diesel fumes in Eagle Rock and southwest Pasadena due to trash trucks utilizing the dump through its only entry, from the south. This will result in long-term health impacts, costs, and preventable suffering from carcinogens in diesel exhaust.
The Scholl Canyon Dump is now in its twilight years with an expiration date in sight, slated for 2021. All over California, neighborhoods, elected officials, environmental leaders, and municipalities are laying the ground work and taking bold steps towards higher diversion rates of solid waste from dumps so that we stop the cycle of passing on health costs to future generations. Cities such as Los Angeles, San Jose, Berkeley, and Oakland are adopting Zero Waste Policies to protect residents, workers, and the environment.
In pursuit of our core value of environmental protection and given the health and quality-of-life impacts that our neighbors and communities will face from Glendale's proposed dump expansion, East Area Progressive Democrats vehemently oppose any expansion of the Scholl Canyon Dump at the expense of the health and wellbeing of the communities we represent. The EAPD believes there is a better way to meet the needs of Glendale residents without harming the air and imposing health and cost burdens on Glendale’s neighbors to the east.
We will take all necessary action to engage members and local Democrats, leading and collaborating with like-minded allies wherever possible, to achieve this goal. We will also focus on Democrats in elected offices to urge opposition to dump expansion and will include evaluation of their actions, or inaction, on this issue in future consideration for our endorsement.
