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.