Environmental Health Coalition has opposed the construction of Gregory Canyon landfill for over a decade.

The proposed 300-acre Gregory Canyon landfill site is located in northern San Diego County on State Route 76, approximately three miles east of Interstate 15 and two miles southwest of the community of Pala. The pristine undeveloped canyon is adjacent to the San Luis Rey River and lies along the western slope of Gregory Mountain.

Even after 15 years, the proposed Gregory Canyon Landfill has not obtained any of its permits, but its proponents continue to press forward.

In 2010, State Senator Juan Vargas introduced SB833 to prevent the construction of the Gregory Canyon landfill. The bill passed the legislature, but unfortunately Governor Brown refused to sign it into law.

Following is EHC's statement on the landfill and SB833:

Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) has opposed the construction of Gregory Canyon landfill for over a decade. EHC is also strongly in favor of SB833. SB833 is urgently needed to protect the San Luis Rey River and to prevent the desecration of a Luiseño sacred site, Gregory Mountain. The legislation would make it illegal to operate a landfill within 1,000 feet of drinking water sources for large cities or Native American sacred sites. The bill would apply only to new landfills, and not existing, permitted landfills or any expansion of an existing, permitted landfill.

One of the issues often raised is the vote of the people 'in favor of' the landfill. The Prop B propaganda sent by GCL proponents to voters to encourage a NO vote on Prop B was clearly misleading. A NO vote on B was a vote FOR the dump. The vote of the people was clearly not an authentic representation of their perspective and I hope it will not be used to support the landfill's approval.

The GCL site was never approved through a local planning process. In fact, the GCL site was rejected numerous times by SD county staff because of significant and non mitigatable impacts mainly because of its proximity to the San Luis Rey River and aquifers. That is why GCL investors had to run Prop C.

SB833 is a clear and direct way to end this ill-advised debate and move on to developing effective pollution prevention and waste management options that do not present the glaringly obvious threat to water resources, and the deep injustice of placing a trash dump adjacent to a sacred site.

For a more comprehensive environmental and environmental justice analysis of the proposed Gregory Canyon landfill, EHC submitted this letter opposing the issuance of a solid waste permit to the County of San Diego in March 2011.

Visit the website to stop the Gregory Canyon Landfill to stay updated on the project.

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is the metropolitan planning organization for the 18 cities in San Diego County and the county government. The SANDAG Board is made up of mayors, city council members, and county supervisors. SANDAG makes strategic plans and provides information on a broad range of topics pertinent to the region's quality of life.

SANDAG has developed a number of plans and strategies that relate to Climate Change, including the 2009 Regional Energy Strategy, the 2010 Climate Action Strategy and the Regional Transportation Plan.

The Regional Transportation Plan lays out what transportation options will look like in the San Diego Region from now until 2050. Approximately, $200 billion of transportation investments are projected to take place from 2011 to 2050. Every time you purchase a non-food item at the store, a certain percentage of the taxes you see on your receipt go to fund local transportation projects. This sales tax is called TransNet. 

EHC opposes the plan that is moving forward. The plan  invests heavily in freeway expansion projects, postponing many transit projects to the later phases of the plan. 

The community continues advocating for SANDAG to invest in transportation network that will lead to the following outcomes:

• Make our communities healthier by reducing the number of cars on the road that create air pollution and climate change;
• Make it easier, affordable, and quicker to get to work, school, doctor and other important places; and
• Make is safer for people to walk and bike in our neighborhoods.

Freeways can wait, but people can’t. If having affordable, reliable, healthy and safe transportation options are important to you, get involved.

History of the SANDAG Regional Transportation Plan

SANDAG became the first of California’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations to complete a Sustainable Communities Strategy in its Regional Transportation Plan in accordance with the requirements of SB375. SANDAG adopted the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy in 2011, despite the warning from California Attorney General Kamala Harris that the Regional Transportation Plan “does not deliver GHG (green house gas) reductions that are sustainable in the long term… and may …preclude any realistic possibility of meeting the Executive Order’s goal of an 80% reduction in GHG emissions.”

EHC OPPOSED THE 2050 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN (RTP)

• The 2050 RTP passed in 2011 will worsen health risks in communities that already suffer from disproportionate levels of pollution.
• The plan contains no public health analysis of increased pollution in low-income communities of color.
• The plan prioritizes highway expansions and defers investment in transit projects for 20 years.
• The strategy promotes urban sprawl, will increase greenhouse gas emissions and worsen traffic congestion.
• The plan will allow particulate air pollution - the type of pollution most linked to respiratory ailments - to increase, causing serious health consequences.

You can read UT San Diego's editorial in favor of the plan and our response.

The Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF) and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit challenging the flawed 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, and the California Attorney General joined. SANDAG’s flawed plan has lost twice in court and is now being reviewed by the California Supreme Court.

The San Diego Unified Port District maintains two marine terminals: the 140 acre National City Marine Terminal and the 96 acre Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal in Barrio Logan. These terminals handle a variety of products including fruit, automobiles, lumber, and windmill components.

EHC supports a working waterfront and is working to make certain the Port's operations support a healthy environment.

Diesel pollution from goods movement is a major concern. According to the California Air Resources Board, goods movement related ship and truck traffic have the following health impacts in the San Diego region:

(2006 Emission Reduction Plan for Ports and Goods Movement in California)

In response, EHC formed United for Clean and Safe Ports in 2006, a coalition of community, health, and labor organizations, and asked the Port to:

• Reduce diesel pollution from ships docketed at all terminals
• Create a sustainable energy plan
• Reduce diesel pollution from trucks servicing the terminals through retrofits and replacement, and strict enforcement of state regulations
• Reduce diesel pollution from cargo handling equipment through retrofit and replacement.

The Port has made some progress, but EHC continues to advocate for a plan that meets all of these goals, is fully funded, and is strictly enforced.

Accomplishments

• The Port has installed shore power at the Broadway Pier cruise terminal. This allows ships to plug in to the electric grid instead of using their diesel engines for power. Shorepower at the marine terminals has not been accomplished.
• EHC secured a truck parking and idling ban on residential streets in Barrio Logan.
• Trucks leaving the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal are not allowed to use Cesar Chavez Parkway and other streets in Barrio Logan to get to Interstate 5, but have been rerouted along Harbor Drive. The Port is working on a reconfiguration of Harbor Drive and freeway entrances that will direct trucks entering the Terminal away from residential Barrio Logan.
• The Port's and California's "truck rules" have greatly reduced the number of non-compliant trucks at the Port. Non-compliant trucks are lacking proper pollution controls.
• Cargo handling equipment has been retrofitted or replaced to reduce pollution.
• The Port is developing a Climate Mitigation and Action Plan.

Unfortunately, these actions have not yet led to decrease in diesel pollution in Barrio Logan. Possible reasons for this are the overall increase in number of truck trips to and from the Port, the use of non-compliant trucks picking up fruit cargos from a warehouse on Main Street, and trucks ignoring the ban on Cesar Chavez Parkway ban on Cesar Chavez Parkway.

The pollution burden of the San Diego Bay can be found in its water and in the bay floor. The sources of pollution are many, but the most toxic pollution has come primarily from the military and shipyards, other bayside industries, and the South Bay Power Plant. Urban runoff also contributes to the pollution burden.

Pollutants of primary concern include Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Tributylin Tin (TBT), arsenic, copper, lead, mercury, zinc along with the pesticide Diazinon.

EHC's History and Successes in San Diego Bay

EHC's Clean Bay Campaign began in 1987 with the goal to clean up, restore, and protect San Diego Bay as a clean and healthy multi-use water resource. In March 2012, the Regional Water Quality Control Board ordered a cleanup of the 143,400 cubic yards of toxic sediments from the bottom of San Diego Bay. After a 20-year battle, the Regional Board finally held  polluters accountable, and the bay will have a chance to return to a cleaner state.

Blueprint for a Clean Bay

Even as the newly formed Clean Bay Campaign began tackling the problems of cleanup and strengthening existing regulations, it started formulating its long-term vision. Published in 1991, the Blueprint for a Clean Bay set out a 10 point plan.

• Sustain the Use – decisions must be considered in context of sustainable use; what is left of natural areas must be protected.

• Enforce the laws – ensure permit compliance, make chronic violators accountable, impose mandatory fines for violations of NPDES permits, assess full find for Clean Water Act violations
• Prevent pollution discharge – reduce use of toxic and hazardous materials, permit no new discharges into the Bay, reduce poison runoff, stop discharges from boats and ships, adopt pesticide use reduction programs
• Cleanup toxic hot spots – evaluate cleanup plans according to health and safety based criteria
• Protect Wildlife Habitat – stop wetland destruction, create the South Bay National Wildlife Refuge; Port District should emphasize environmental protection
• Make the Bay fishable – Stop destruction of fish habitat and nursery areas; expand fish habitat and increase the numbers and diversity of fish; test fish for contamination
• Monitor the Bay – set up a San Diego Bay Monitoring program; conduct marine life sampling; nominate the Bay as an "Estuary of National Significance," set standards for a Clean Bay
• Military must cleanup – set a schedule for toxics use reduction; clean up old dumps; comply with existing laws
• Provide for appropriate recreation – stop the flow of sewage to the Bay; encourage boating of appropriate intensity; connect open space and park systems to the Bay
• Involve the public – encourage people to be good stewards of the Bay: to speak out, to hold their representatives accountable, to reduce their impact on the Bay

Cleanup of toxic sediments

Toxic sediments in at least eight sites have been cleaned up, but it's never an easy process. Efforts to clean up toxic sediments in San Diego Bay follow a similar pattern: clear evidence of pollution and the polluter are identified; cleanup levels are established by the Regional Water Quality Control Board; a Cleanup and Abatement Order is issued by the RWQCB; the responsible party appeals the Order; EHC intervenes to uphold or strengthen the Order. The polluter spends years fighting the Order. The best cases result in cleanup actually taking place. In the worst case, the toxic sediments around the shipyards, the foot dragging has continued for more than 20 years.

• Paco Terminals was one of the first advocacy efforts for the Clean Bay Campaign, and its history is included as an example of the watchdogging and advocacy required.
• 1979-1985: Tons of copper ore spill into San Diego Bay at the 24th Street Marine Terminal in National City due to faulty loading equipment. Levels of ore in sediment reach 50,000-60,000 parts per million.
• 1986: San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Boards issues a Cleanup Order to reduce copper to 1,000 ppm (10 times above level before spills began).
• 1988: RWQCB fines Paco $50,000 (reduced from staff's recommended fine of $200,000). EHC protests reduction.
• 1989: San Diego Unified Port District named as a Responsible Party along with Paco.
• 1990: Paco files for bankruptcy; is out of bankruptcy by 1991 when it appears that their insurance company may be fiscally responsible for cleanup.
• 1991: RWQCB goes against advice of its staff and weakens cleanup level to 4,000 ppm.
• 1992: EHC appeals the revised order and the State Water Resources Board reverses the Regional Board's decision.
• 1992: Paco and Port unsuccessfully sue the State Board over their decision.
• 1995: Cleanup to 1000 ppm completed!
• Convair Lagoon – PCB's were discovered as a result of the State Mussel Watch Program from 1979-1985. In 1986 the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control issued a cleanup and abatement order to Teledyne-Ryan. PCBs entered the Bay through the storm water system; the contamination was found down to a depth of 10 feet. Seven acres of bay sediments were capped in 1986 and RWQCB issued a new order requiring maintenance, monitoring and repair of the cap. In 2004 evidence of new PCB contamination was found and a new Cleanup and Abatement Order was issued. This has not yet been completed. The site is being considered as a depository for contaminated sediments from the current Shipyard Sediment Site.
• Campbell Shipyard – sediments contaminated with PCBs, copper, zinc, lead, TBT, PAHs, and other petroleum hydrocarbons; cleanup ordered in 1995; cleanup completed in 2003
• The Blob – an underground plume of petroleum hydrocarbons under downtown San Diego was discovered moving toward the Bay. Unocal, Shell, GTF Frost, Golden West Hotel, CCDC, and Transportation and Leasing Company were determined to be responsible parties. Cleanup ordered in 1990; completed in 1991.

Protection from further contamination requires strong regulations, strict monitoring and enforcement, eliminating or reducing the use of toxic chemicals, education, and cooperation. EHC has consistently advocated for protection through the following actions.

• Strengthen Regulations: Basin Plan, California's Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program
• Elimination of toxic pollutants
  • EHC successfully appealed a Waste Discharge Permit for failing to require monitoring of Tributylin Tin (TBT), an extremely toxic product that was used to protect boat bottoms. TBT was subsequently
  • Pollutants entering the bay from the South Bay Power Plant were eliminated after more than 40 years when EHC's efforts to close down the plant succeeded

• Human health advisories – People need to be informed about the hazards toxic pollution in the Bay can cause. EHC secured the posting of two fish consumption advisories: the first in 1990 and the second in 2006. Now written in English, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese, the County Department of Health Services and the San Diego Unified Port District provide more specific advice in the signs to fishers of the Bay compared to what was originally posted in 1990.
• Shipyard Pollution Prevention: EHC worked with shipyard workers and a consultant to develop a series of opportunities for consideration by the shipyards.
• Military: In 2001 EHC worked with Congressman Bob Filner to introduce the Military Environmental Responsibility Act. A field hearing was held in San Diego and people from across the nation testified on the harm military toxics caused in their communities. The legislation was not passed, but brought much needed attention to the many exemptions the Military claimed from environmental regulations.
• Urban runoff: Recognizing that urban runoff contributes to pollution of San Diego Bay and other water bodies, EHC introduced storm drain stencils in San Diego County with the message "No Dumping – I Live Downstream." Bilingual educational materials were developed as part of our San Diego Bay Watershed Protection program.
• Integrated Pest Management Program for Port of San Diego. EHC provided technical assistance to the Port in development of an IPM program for the maintenance of their parks and buildings.

Restoration – a vision

Watersheds
As part of EHC's San Diego Bay Watershed Protection Program, we advocated for the restoration of Chollas Creek including removal of concrete channels and returning the creekside to a natural riparian habitat.

South Bay Unit of San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
In June 1999, the South San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge was officially dedicated, the culmination of more than 20-years of work involving a unique partnership among environmental groups, community residents, and local, state, and federal agencies. The refuge initially conserved 2,200 acres of significant habitat, including essential wetlands and mudflats which are home to more than 560 plant and animal species.

EHC's current efforts in South San Diego: (short description of goal with link to expanded info)

Community Planning – insure that the Bayfront Master Plan is implemented

Green Energy/Green Jobs – make certain that the bayfront development utilizes the maximum renewable energy and the highest green building standards

History:

Prior to the 1900's, San Diego Bay was a fertile, shallow bay supporting great biodiversity in its open water, salt marshes and mud flats. Dredging and filling of the Bay, along with development have eliminated over 90% of the mudflats and 78% of the salt marshes. Those that remain are found mostly in South San Diego Bay.

Most of the land surrounding San Diego Bay is controlled by the San Diego Unified Port District or the U.S. military. The last remaining piece of privately owned bayfront property was 125 acres between the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge and a marina/commercial development on Port controlled land to the South. When developers proposed dense commercial and residential development at this site, environmentalists and South Bay residents objected. (read more>)

Sweetwater Marsh Unit of SDNWR: In the late 1970's/early 1980's two projects were proposed that would severely threaten these remaining wetlands habitats: a combined highway/flood control channel along the Sweetwater River that separates National City and Chula Vista, and construction of a 440-room hotel at Gunpowder Point along with high rise residential complexes on the D-Street Fill.

A multi-year legal battle, led by the Sierra Club and League for Coastal Protection, ensued. In 1987 a District Court judge issued a permanent injunction to stop all work, and in 1988 the 315.8-acre Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge was created. It is now home to the Chula Vista Nature Center.

South San Diego Bay Unit of SDNWR: The water and land at the far south of the Bay was still unprotected

Pollution Burden:

Pollution in South San Diego Bay has come from the South Bay Power Plant, bayside industries such as Rohr Industries, the nearby Interstate 5, and urban runoff.

EHC's West Chula Vista Leadership Team (links to bio)

Laura Hunter, Associate Director – Clean Bay Campaign

Kayla Race, Policy Advocate, Green Energy/Green Jobs Campaing

West Chula Vista Community Action Team

Relationships to other EHC Efforts (links to other areas of the website)

Regional Transportation

San Diego Port District

San Diego Bay

From 1960 until decommissioned in 2010, the South Bay Power Plant’s four generators polluted South San Diego Bay and emitted tons of toxic and greenhouse gases.

Environmental Health Coalition's concern started with the impacts of the power plant on San Diego Bay, but expanded to include air pollution and development of a sustainable energy policy. In 2001, the San Diego Bay Council, comprised of Environmental Health Coalition and six other non-profit organizations, published Deadly Power, A case for eliminating the impacts of the South Bay Power Plant on San Diego Bay and ensuring better environmental options for the San Diego/Tijuana region.

It took another ten years of community organizing and advocacy before we reached the goal of shutting down the power plant.

Current Issues – cleanup and reuse

The South Bay Power Plant occupies 115 acres of bayfront property owned by the Port of San Diego in the City of Chula Vista. Now comes the task of tearing down the 175-foot structure, cleaning up the contamination and restoring the land for future use.  

Chula Vista's Bayfront Master Plan includes this site. 

As part of the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan Settlement Agreement between the Bayfront Coalition, the San Diego Unified Port District, the City of Chula Vista and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Chula Vista signed in May 2010, a South Bay Wildlife Advisory Committee (WAG) was formed to advise the Port on the development of a Natural Resources Management Plan.

The WAG seeks to ensure that the precious natural resources including fish, wildlife, invertebrate, plant, and ecosystems of and surrounding the Chula Vista Bayfront are protected enhanced and managed through the preparation, implementation and review of a Natural Resources Management Plan, comprehensive agreements, and other relevant wildlife plans and actions.

In addition to the organizations signing the Settlement Agreement, Other WAG members include the Chula Vista Nature Center – Education and Operations programs; South County Economic Development Council; South Bay Boatworks; Pacifica Companies; Resource Conservation Commission, four residents from the City of Chula Vista; Zoological Society of San Diego; Sportfishing Association of California; San Diego Foundation; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Refuges & Ecological Services; National Marine Fisheries Service; Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Fish & Game, California Coastal Commission.

The WAG began meeting in April 2011, with the Port District providing support staff and EHC and Pacifica representatives serving as co-chairs. The Port, with the WAG participating in the interview process, is currently hiring the consultant to develop the NRMP. The consultant will be meeting regularly with the WAG.

More information on the WAG can be found on the Port's website.