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Hanford Sentinel March 28, 2007 
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Residents protest Kettleman landfill By Seth Nidever, Sentinel Reporter Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took flak in Kettleman City Tuesday night for a draft report that says a landfill site southwest of the town isn't a health threat. " I'm wondering, how did you do this without asking the residents of Kettleman City?" said Maricela Mares-Alatorre, one of several Kettleman City residents and environmental activists who complained about the report in a two-and-a-half hour long public hearing that featured angry chants against the EPA and comments from residents criticizing the draft study. The study was done in conjunction with a proposed renewal of the landfill site's permit to receive PCBs, highly toxic substances used in electrical conductors that Congress banned in 1976. Chemical Waste Management, an international company, trucks PCBs, other hazardous chemicals and regular trash to the site in the Kettleman Hills approximately three miles southwest of town. Chem Waste took some heat at the meeting, but the lion's share of criticism was reserved for EPA officials. Before the public meeting began at 7 p.m., a crowd of residents and activists poured into the Kettleman City Elementary School cafeteria chanting "Si se puede!" and "EPA: Shame on you!" Several wore white T-shirts stenciled with "KC is not your trash can." Critical comments centered on perceived shortcomings of the EPA report. The report is intended to assess the environmental impact of the landfill site on the town's largely Spanish-speaking residents. For years, Kettleman City residents have complained about asthma problems, high cancer rates and other health problems. Some blame the Chem Waste site, particularly its ongoing hazardous waste operations. The draft EPA study concluded that there are no adverse impacts traceable to the Chem Waste facility. It also stated that officials couldn't find a greater concentration of cancer, asthma or other problems in Kettleman City than in the rest of Kings County. Several speakers said officials should have done a health assessment of the residents in Kettleman City. " Come and ask us direct. We're here. If you only knew how many people are dying of cancer," said Guadalupe Alatorre, a longtime Kettleman City inhabitant. An EPA official said after the meeting that no community health assessment was done. " We're an environmental agency, not a health agency. . .," said Debbie Rowe, EPA environmental scientist. Rowe said EPA had discussed with California Department of Health Services the possibility of doing a community health survey. " But a lot of communities want this, and (DHS) has limited resources," she said. Rowe said EPA
is still talking with DHS about the possibility. As a condition of the proposed PCB permit extension, Chem Waste will have to perform groundwater monitoring, test for waste leakage and ensure an adequate cap for at least 30 years, said EPA official Max Weintraub. A few speakers defended EPA and Chem Waste. Aletha Ware, a resident of the town since 1968, said that the cancer problems many speakers were complaining about are the result of pesticides sprayed on the town and buried in farm fields. She said she tried to organize a tour of the Kettleman Hills facility but was turned down by many residents. " It's cleaner out there than some of our yards," she said. The public has until April 23 to comment on the draft permit and the draft environmental justice assessment. The reporter
can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3061. |