PUBLIC NOTICE

News You Can Use and Meetings You Can Attend

  AGENDA

                SUNSHINE CANYON LANDFILL – COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

CITY & COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 3:00 P.M.
Knollwood Country Club
12024 Balboa Boulevard, Granada Hills, CA 91344

Becky Bendikson (Chair),  Jeanette Capaldi,  Larry Gray,  Michael Hemming,  Wayde Hunter (Vice Chair/TAC Representative) Josh Jordahl (Treasurer),  Mary Anna Kienholz,  Joe Vitti,  Mary Wrobleski (Secretary)

 A.  Call to Order, Roll Call and approval of Minutes: Meetings of September 3, November 5, 2009 &  January 7, 2010.

B.  Old Business discussion and possible action for:

 1.  Discussion of BFI report of current balance/status of rollover funds for SCL CAC as requested (BFI).

2.  Discussion any outstanding administrative matters (Chair).

3.  Status of SCL-CAC letter to CARB requesting update on vehicle conversions (Vice Chair). 

4.  Display of aerial photograph of landfill at each SCL CAC meeting as requested (BFI).

5.  Status of Sunshine Canyon Landfill tours or any other site tours, products or consultant queries & investigations that CAC Members feel may be of interest to other members (CAC Members).

C.  New Business discussion and possible action for:

1.  Update/report from BFI (may include complaints to the landfill operator, working face locations, special occurrences, NOVs, new Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly Reports, efforts to improve odor situation this past year, and plans to improve operations etc).

2.  Update/report from SCAQMD (may include the number of odor reports from residents/Van Gogh Elementary School, status of Notice of Abatement Hearing, and comments on effectiveness of current operations and enforcement, and to include answer to request for mister/odorizer system fluids manufacturing data sheets).

3.  Update/report from SCL-LEA (may include future SCL-LEA board meeting dates, comments on the effectiveness of current operations and compliance with State regulations etc)

4.  Update/report from City & County Planning Departments (may include the effectiveness of current operations and compliance, the status of LEA City and County Planning Department MOU for land use enforcement, C2REM reports etc).

5.  Update/report from BOS Representatives of the County’s waiver of fees and weekly tonnage limits for up to 90 days to permit for additional disposal up to 64,800 tons/week of catch basin debris.

6.  Update/report or information of interest to this committee from any other persons present representing City/County/State and not previously agendized (Information only.  Any future action to be agendized).

D.  Public comment.

E.  Adjournment.

Note: If you require special accommodations, please contact Maria Masis at the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning at  (213) 974-6435 or via e-mail at mmasis@planning.lacounty.gov with at least three business days notice.

_______________________________________________________________

For further info contact Becky Bendikson 11862 Balboa Boulevard, Box 154, Granada Hills CA 91344 or Call (818) 360-7113

In Memory of our Dear Friend and Board Member Mary Edwards
who passed away December 7, 2009

 One of the founding members of Dump the Dump which later became the North Valley Coalition of Concerned Citizens Inc. she maintained her tenacious commitment to us and her neighbors while serving in many other organizations and for many different causes.

 She was very humble and did not want attention to her many acts of kindness, caring, selflessness and her fighting for the safety of all in her community. She did not want buildings, parks or streets named after her. She did not want a fuss made over her. She did not want flowers and would rather money be given to feed and take care of others. These last few years she struggled to stay with us out of her love for us. She had things she wanted to finish before leaving us. When asked how she was she always said ''fine” even when she was not, in hopes to spare us. She loved everyone, especial her George, her family, her many friends, she had no enemies as she forgave everyone, she loved the poor, the hungry, the homeless and the sad and lonely.

 Mary was cremated at a private family gathering. 

 There will be a memorial service on:

January 6, 2010 at 3 p.m.
Episcopal Church of St. Andrews,
16651 Rinaldi Street,
Granada Hills, CA 91344

Notice of Preparation of the Draft EIR

for the Sunshine Gas Producers Renewable Energy Project

A CEQA scoping meeting was held on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at 6:30 PM at the Sylmar Public Library as described on the second page of the website notice.   

There is still time to comment until December 18, 2009 (see website below). 

http://www.aqmd.gov/ceqa/documents/2009/nonaqmd/SunshineNOP-IS.pdf

In the past a number of citizens including the NVC had supported the beneficial use of landfill gas at Sunshine Canyon Landfill.  It was however,  with the understanding (based on BFI's consultants information), that the proposed new gas turbines would provide a better landfill gas destruct rate than the existing flare (incinerator) system.

You will see in the on-line documentation on page 2-15 Facility Operation Impact Analysis, that apart from the increases one would expected during construction of the project, that there will be a 31 TON PER DAY INCREASE in emissions most notably NOx CO, and ROG which will exceed the SCAQMD significant  threshold.  Add this to the already excessive 351 tons per day of emissions we already endure from existing operations.

 Keep in mind that BFI’s Sunshine Canyon landfill was approved with "overriding considerations" because the air quality impacts that it would generate "could not be mitigated"  - so the end result here is that our air is only going to get worse not better.

 This situation is unacceptable.  We encourage you to send in your comments.  Among the  concerns raised at the hearing include issues such as the reliance on outdated EIRs and SEIRs, noise from turbines which might effect not only on humans but the native animals, incorrect distances given by consultants to sensitive receptors, whether or not the Risk Assessment will be based on children rather than adults.  For the record I also complained to the SCAQMD that the landfill is located in Granada Hills not Sylmar (only their mailing address is Sylmar) and that this appeared to be an attempt to reduce the comments by the public.  A poll of those at the meeting revealed that there was not one Sylmar resident present.

 Please pass this along to your neighbors and/or organizations.

 Thank you