Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found the Chiquita Canyon Landfill to present imminent and substantial endangerment to nearby communities. The EPA subsequently ordered Chiquita Canyon LLC to take immediate steps to protect human health and the environment at its landfill in Castaic, California.

“This order is a step in the right direction, but there are still many questions that demand answers,” said Rep. Garcia. “First, we need to know the root cause of this issue and how it was allowed to escalate so dramatically. The landfill is affecting the health and safety of our communities, and it’s crucial we know the extent of that impact.

“I’m grateful the EPA is taking this issue seriously, and I look forward to working with them to ensure we find solutions as soon as possible. I also look forward to working with state and local regulators to better understand the problem, find solutions, and demand accountability. And, if malpractice or malfeasance is discovered over the course of this investigation, I’m committed to using all the congressional authority at my disposal to hold any bad actor responsible to the fullest extent of the law.”

The 639-acre Chiquita Canyon Landfill has garnered thousands of complaints from nearby residents about noxious odors and leachate (the result of rainwater or other liquid filtering through or draining from wastes placed in a landfill) and prompted the issuance of over one hundred notices of violation from state and local regulatory agencies. The source of the complaints is a sub-surface smoldering or elevated temperature reaction at the landfill that began in May 2022 and has grown in size and impact.

Today’s EPA order requires Chiquita Canyon LLC to comply with the law and properly manage, treat, and dispose of hazardous waste and to take steps to mitigate the odors emanating from the landfill.