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Assembly passes two bills addressing Chiquita Canyon landfill disaster; lawmakers cite health impacts on nearby residents
Summary
The Assembly passed AB 27 and AB 28 addressing tax relief and emergency response requirements related to the Chiquita Canyon landfill fire. Sponsors described severe community health impacts; AB 27 passed 61–0 and AB 28 passed 44–6.
The California Assembly on May 14 passed two separate bills focused on the ongoing Chiquita Canyon landfill fire and its impacts on nearby communities.
AB 27, presented by Assemblymember Schiavo, provides tax relief for residents affected by the landfill disaster. The author said a temporary relief program previously offered by the landfill operator was terminated and that neighbors have incurred significant expenses — from industrial air filters and increased electricity bills to repeated medical visits. The Assembly adopted AB 27 on a 61–0 vote.
AB 28, also sponsored by Assemblymember Schiavo, would require landfill operators to follow federal Environmental Protection Agency standards for elevated temperatures, notify agencies and communities about temperature events, and prepare plans to address elevated temperatures to reduce the risk of fires and emissions. On the floor, Schiavo described the fire as having expanded from approximately 30 acres to 90 acres and said the blaze has burned for three years with estimates it could continue for decades. She detailed medical impacts reported by neighbors, including new respiratory symptoms, rashes, loss of employment, and disruptions to family life.
Assemblymember Ellis, drawing on decades of technical experience, said he supported AB 28 and called the situation “catastrophic.” The bill passed the Assembly on a 44–6 recorded vote.
Why it matters: the author and several speakers emphasized immediate public‑health and environmental harms to residents living hundreds of feet from the burning landfill, and framed AB 28 as a statutory step to ensure notification and corrective planning where federal guidance exists but community notification and enforceable action were lacking.
What the bills do: - AB 27: creates a tax‑relief mechanism so affected residents are not pushed into higher tax brackets or lose state assistance as a result of disaster‑related payments and support; floor sponsors described it as a targeted relief measure. - AB 28: incorporates federal standards for elevated landfill temperatures into state statutory requirement for notification and remedial planning; it requires operators to notify agencies and the community and to submit plans to address elevated temperatures within statutory deadlines.
Votes: AB 27 passed 61–0; AB 28 passed 44–6. Both measures now proceed to the next legislative steps for consideration by the Senate and, if passed, the governor.
