Historical overview of related environmental controversies Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility

1 historical overview of related environmental controversies

1.1 1975–1990
1.2 1990–2009
1.3 2009–2012
1.4 2013–present

historical overview of related environmental controversies
1975–1990

in june 1975 kings county, ca issued permit mckay trucking disposal of oil field wastes in kettleman hills area. subsequently, in 1979, land bought chemical waste management, inc., subsidiary of waste management, inc. in 1982, chemical waste management, inc. received permit processing of pcbs (known carcinogens), , after class waste disposal permit allowed processing of type of hazardous waste. @ time, establishment of facility , repurposing full class hazardous waste disposal site went unnoticed residents of kettleman city within 4 miles away facility. community opposition , awareness of facility emerged in 1980s; motivated in part articles published in local newspapers multimillion-dollar fines levied against chemical waste management, inc. violating environmental laws.

because of low average socioeconomic standing , 95% latino population, kettleman city , nearby waste disposal site attracted attention of environmental justice movement. advocates argued chemical waste management, inc. , local government practicing environmental racism, pointing out nearest communities 3 major waste disposal sites in california poor , entirely non-white. environmental justice groups cited 1984 cerrell report california waste management board suggested placing waste disposal sites , incinerators in communities least able resist. in 1988, phone call greenpeace organizer bradley angel revealed kettleman community chemical waste management, inc. planning add toxic waste incinerator disposal facility. several residents attended preliminary hearing on incinerator , concerned potential health risk placed close town. trial marked beginning of community-led grassroots environmental justice movement in kettleman city, beginning of ongoing conflict between people of kettleman city , chemical waste management, inc. in 1989, more 200 residents kettleman city showed testify @ kings county planning commission hearing on incinerator project. when incinerator project approved, residents of kettleman city filed lawsuit against chemical waste management, inc., alleging environmental impact report did not comply california environmental quality act. trial court ruled chemical waste management, inc. had not sufficiently analyzed environmental , health impacts of incinerator, , had failed provide full spanish version of impacts report, preventing participation kettleman city residents. company appealed court s decision, dropped plans incinerator before appeal decision had been reached.

1990–2009

following controversy on incinerator, waste disposal site continued operate , reached economic peak of operation during 1990s. although people of kettleman city continued protest against chemical waste management, there no major environmental justice battles in kettleman city during these years, apart continued criticism of activists location of hazardous waste exhibited structural racism. 1990s saw kettleman hills facility facing regular scrutiny , fines epa , tsca enforcement committee. epa reports facility committed environmental violations every year between 1990 , 1995, in 1998. in 2004, tsca compliance inspection of kettleman hills facility reached conclusion there had been no monitoring of pcbs since 1995, , failure dispose of pcbs within legal time limit had gone unreported on 2 occasions. same report concluded 2002-2003 there 16 spills of hazardous waste, , 6 instances of waste being stored in unsealed containers. facility underwent numerous permit expansions under class , class iii waste disposal during mid late 2000s, many of accompanied public hearings represented kettleman city community leaders.

2009–2012

the year 2009 marked resurgence of environmental justice movement in kettleman city, renewal of conflict between people of kettleman city , chemical waste management, inc. environmental justice advocacy group greenaction released statement alleging possible correlation between recent high number of birth defects in region, 14 cases in 2007-2008, 5 of cleft lip and/or palate, , presence of waste disposal facility. residents of kettleman city voiced opposition chemical waste management, inc. s facility community-led movement. kings county s public health officer skeptical, stating understood community s concern, believed birth defects statistical anomaly . however, state promised conduct wide range investigation high number of birth defects water quality , frequency of asthma , cancer. not long after birth defects controversy began, chemical waste management, inc. applied permit expand facility, , met heavy resistance kettleman city community during 60-day comment period. cal epa granted them permit expand, pending findings of birth defects investigation, on december 21, 2009.

the initial findings of cal epa , california department of public health (cdph) released in community meetings in 2010. report found birth defect rate inconclusive due small sample size , no significant sources of environmental exposure found in city. however, pesticides found in homes warranted further investigation. on january 20, after initial findings had been released, greenaction filed lawsuit against kings county board of supervisors. greenaction alleged in light of inconclusive , possibly flawed birth defect report, approval of chemical waste management, inc. s expansion permit violated ceqa , state civil rights laws. same week, california senator barbara boxer issued statement saying kettleman hills hazardous waste facility should not expanded until there more conclusive results on potential health impacts on local community. within week of lawsuit, governor schwarzenegger ordered cal epa , cdph launch full investigation correlation between disposal facility , health issues experienced residents of kettleman city. full 160-page report released on november 22, 2010, , found none of possible exposures hazardous materials correlated increase in birth defects. report s recommendations continue pursue safer source of drinking water kettleman city, continue investigation effects of trace presence of contaminants. further update released in 2011 stating level of birth defects in kettleman city had dropped below 2008 levels.

during birth defects controversy, chemical waste management, inc. fined $402,000 on november 29, 2011 violating tsca. investigation concluded had been using improper disposal techniques carcinogenic pcbs , other hazardous material wastes without treatment. waste management, inc. further ordered set aside $600,000 purpose of physical , operational improvements facility.

2013–present

on july 2, 2013, california department of toxic substances control—dtsc released draft decision on permit modification allow waste management, inc. increase capacity of hazardous waste landfill. modification add 14 landfill acres , increases capacity 50 percent, or approximately 5 million cubic yards. effect of expansion add estimated 4.6 billion pounds of toxic waste site. on may 21, 2014, dtsc issued final permit approving company s planned expansion allow additional 5.2 million metric tons of capacity. appeals of permit issuance filed greenaction people clean air , water of kettleman city , center race, poverty , environment. on october 14, 2014, department of toxic substances control denied both appeals. bradley angel of greenaction quoted saying group continue challenge permit lawsuit , filing administrative civil rights complaints in both state , federal courts.

waste management, inc. fined in march 2013 failing report more 70 toxic waste spills @ kettleman hills facility dtsc, company claimed irrelevant prospect expansion.

later extended october 11, 2013.