Locals oppose use of San Gabriel Valley park as collection site for debris from Eaton Fire
City leaders from Duarte, Irwindale, Azusa and Baldwin Park have joined in opposition of federal plans to use the Lario Staging Ground as a place where they will dump and process the hazardous waste left behind by the Eaton Fire.
The announcement comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to prepare the site, located at 15701 E. Foothill Boulevard, implementing spill control measures and plans to monitor air quality operations as soon as next week.
Despite this, city officials argue that they were not given prior notice or a chance to weigh in on the issue, which has raised concerns about the potential environmental implications it could have, as well as its proximity to residents.
"While the cities are completely in solidarity with our neighboring communities, we are extremely disappointed with the lack of respect to our local residents for not being notified of the EPA's cleanup efforts and having toxic materials transported to our backyards," said a statement issued by the city of Duarte on Monday.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the area, also shared some concerns over the EPA's decision on Monday. She shared a statement that noted these concerns, and the fact that the federal agency holds authority over the matter and its actions supersede local jurisdiction since the project is occurring on federal land.
"The removal of these materials should not come at the cost of creating a toxic environment for communities already disproportionately impacted by pollution," Solis' statement said.
Her team visited the park on Monday morning, joined by Rep. Gil Cisneros and other local leaders. She urged federal agencies to keep the constituents well-informed as recovery efforts continue.
Previously, the land was leased to both the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for use of the park, but last week the contract was amended to remove the county from the lease and jurisdiction.
As of last Wednesday, the EPA and USACE are exclusively responsible for the day-to-day happenings at Lario Park, officials said.
The EPA says that they will routinely use a water truck for dust suppression to minimize the visible emissions, as well as conduct post-sampling of the site to ensure there are no negative impacts from the debris, which includes lithium electric car batteries and other potentially hazardous materials.
The waste will be brought to the site on a daily basis, where it will be processed into the appropriate area and packaged for shipment before it is sent to an alternate location for disposal, EPA officials said.
In order to transport the materials to Lario Park, trucks will avoid use of the I-210 Freeway and instead use back roads.
They say that once the waste is processed for shipping or disposal, only United States Department of Transportation approved trucks will be allowed to transport them to their designated disposal facilities.
Duarte city leaders say that despite those measures, the coalition of local city officials plan to push for the staging ground's closure as quickly as possible. They have begun to coordinate their efforts with Senator Susan Rubio's office in order to organize a town hall meeting where residents can share their concerns.
The EPA asks anyone who has concerns to contact (833) 798-7372.
