I am writing to express concern and opposition to the proposed Tajiguas Landfill expansion.
As the county is clearly aware, there have been numerous problems with the landfill as demonstrated by the recent change in management. Expanding the landfill when it is not operating properly seems foolhardy and a waste of taxpayer’s dollars. Millions have been wasted on the TRRP (Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project) which does not work as promised. Numerous violations have been issued against the landfill. Odors emit from the landfill that the operator cannot control. Plastic and other trash from the landfill litter the beaches nearby.
The TRRP project has been a disaster from the start. None of the promises made by the operator have been met. The county needs to address those issues before contemplating any expansion. There needs to be a long-term solution not a short-term Band-Aid.
The landfill is causing great harm to the Gaviota Coast, the ecosystem, and the health and safety of the nearby residents. The proposed expansion is nothing short of a Band-Aid. It will not address the landfill’s problems but only compound them.