SAN DIEGO — Developers for the East Otay Mesa landfill and recycle project say they are close to finalizing their application to submit for permits.
But there is already pushback and efforts to stop it.
There’s no question there is a sewage crisis from cross-border contamination in the South Bay.
Sarah Davidson manages the Surfrider Foundation’s Clean Border Water Now program. She says she has concerns about the long-term impact.
“All of this contamination has resulted in a public health crisis that’s just getting worse every day,” she said.
But one question that does stand is whether a recycling and landfill center should be built in East Otay Mesa in the Tijuana River Valley Watershed.
“The idea of putting yet another source of pollution in this watershed that’s already chock full of pollution, it seems preposterous,” said Davidson.
State Senator Steve Padilla who represents the South Bay agrees and has gained support to stop the project.
He authored Senate Bill 1208 which prohibits a regional water board from issuing wastewater permits for a new landfill in the Tijuana River National Estuary unless strict environmental protections are approved.
“Those of us in this community have, frankly, had enough of our community being poisoned by players and actors whose main motivation is making money,” said Padilla.
He’s talking about former State Senator Ben Hueso. He now works for National Enterprise, who wants to develop the East Otay Mesa Recycling Collection & Landfill project.
The 340-acre site is about ¼ mile from the U.S.-Mexico border.
“This landfill will actually be built with a liner that will prevent any seepage into the watershed. It will be built with controls that prevent any water, if it produces any kind of contaminator, dirty or any kind of polluted water, it has to be all captured and treated before it’s released in the environment,” said Hueso.
Padilla says the proposal is not full proof.
“A landfill is a landfill, you can put all the modern linings and measures in best practices, but you will never completely prevent the impacts to the watershed,” said Padilla.
In 2010 voters approved a landfill to be built in East Otay Mesa. At the time reports showed the county would be at disposal capacity by 2030 but recently the county waste management plan extended it to 2053.
Hueso says this bill silences the public’s voice before there are any environmental impact studies done.
"If we don’t need landfills anymore, we’re going to need recycling center. Where are we going to put them, next to houses?” said Hueso.
The bill is in the House Appropriations committee, meanwhile developers say they are close to submitting their application for permits.
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