LAMONT, CA -- They are frustrated and they are fed up. Residents of Lamont and Arvin got a progress report Wednesday night on the future of the troubled Community Recycling facility.
Fifth District Supervisor Leticia Perez called the meeting to update her constituents on the on-going efforts to resolve a long-running dispute between the county and Community Recycling. But after hearing from angry citizens, it's clear that a solution is not close at hand.
"We feel that we are in a good position to fight for the community of Lamont."
Leticia Perez brought Arvin and Lamont residents up to speed on what's going on behind the scenes with Community Recycling Center.
After numerous violations of its conditional use permit, the county wants to shut it down. Facility owners are suing to prevent that from happening.
Problem is, Community Recycling uses treated waste water from the Lamont Public Utilities District for dust control. And if it's closed, that effluent will have to go somewhere else.
"Ultimately we'll have to make a tough decision because certainly can't please everyone but as long as we're considering all of the interests of the community, I think it's meaningful," Perez said.
Residents are demanding the Lamont PUD come up with a plan "B" for disposing its waste water, some two million gallons a day.
"They have held the community hostage and they have had many years to come up with an alternate plan that doesn't involve a polluting facility that residents have complained about for years and years and years," Ingrid Bostrom from the Center on Race, Poverty and Environment said.
The Utilities District has until December to propose its plan "B" for the effluent. While members of the community were grateful for the public forum, they know other stakeholders will also put in their two cents.
"I heard suggestions, yes, but definite solutions? Not so much," said Lamont resident Malcolm Rivera.
Now residents know there's still a long way to go until the dust settles in this legal battle.
Community Recycling has filed two lawsuits against the county; one to fight the county's move to revoke its conditional use permit and another to challenge the $2.2 million in fines for violating that permit.
The lawsuit is set to start September 5 in Superior Court.
Fifth District Supervisor Leticia Perez called the meeting to update her constituents on the on-going efforts to resolve a long-running dispute between the county and Community Recycling. But after hearing from angry citizens, it's clear that a solution is not close at hand.
"We feel that we are in a good position to fight for the community of Lamont."
Leticia Perez brought Arvin and Lamont residents up to speed on what's going on behind the scenes with Community Recycling Center.
After numerous violations of its conditional use permit, the county wants to shut it down. Facility owners are suing to prevent that from happening.
Problem is, Community Recycling uses treated waste water from the Lamont Public Utilities District for dust control. And if it's closed, that effluent will have to go somewhere else.
"Ultimately we'll have to make a tough decision because certainly can't please everyone but as long as we're considering all of the interests of the community, I think it's meaningful," Perez said.
Residents are demanding the Lamont PUD come up with a plan "B" for disposing its waste water, some two million gallons a day.
"They have held the community hostage and they have had many years to come up with an alternate plan that doesn't involve a polluting facility that residents have complained about for years and years and years," Ingrid Bostrom from the Center on Race, Poverty and Environment said.
The Utilities District has until December to propose its plan "B" for the effluent. While members of the community were grateful for the public forum, they know other stakeholders will also put in their two cents.
"I heard suggestions, yes, but definite solutions? Not so much," said Lamont resident Malcolm Rivera.
Now residents know there's still a long way to go until the dust settles in this legal battle.
Community Recycling has filed two lawsuits against the county; one to fight the county's move to revoke its conditional use permit and another to challenge the $2.2 million in fines for violating that permit.
The lawsuit is set to start September 5 in Superior Court.