Mecca residents press Riverside County for testing and cleanup of Desert View/Greenleaf power‑plant site
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Summary
Residents and environmental groups asked Riverside County supervisors to press for soil testing, site cleanup and transparency at the Desert View/Greenleaf power‑plant site near Mecca, citing an active EPA investigation and alleged historical emissions of hazardous pollutants.
Residents from Mecca and organizing groups urged the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to push for site testing, remediation and community engagement at the Desert View/Greenleaf power‑plant site, which attendees and advocates say is under federal investigation for air‑quality violations.
Crystal Otworth of Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability told the board that "the Desert View Power Facility is under federal investigation for violating the Federal Clean Air Act," and that the facility’s emissions historically included mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and PM2.5, pollutants linked to respiratory and neurological harm. Community representatives said the plant’s operating permit expired and the site remains a public‑health concern.
Speakers asked the county to: press responsible parties (including the tribe and facility owners) for transparent public reporting; request and make public any EPA or other agency site testing records; convene focused community meetings; and support damaged residents, including discussion of reparations. Cecilia Lemus, speaking for Coachella Valley United for a Better Environment, asked the county to "support a testing of the soil ... properly and safely clean up the actual facility site" and to keep the community informed of progress.
County staff and supervisors acknowledged jurisdictional limits—federal tribal jurisdiction and EPA authority were repeatedly cited—but said the county will seek to convene the tribe and federal/state agencies, write letters requesting engagement, and provide outreach support. Supervisor comments indicated the county will attempt to bring the tribe and relevant regulators to a community meeting and will follow up on any public EPA records that are available.
What residents are asking Residents want public release of EPA findings or notices of violation, a documented cleanup plan with safe disposal of wastewater and ash, comprehensive soil testing near residential areas and schools, and sustained community involvement in remediation decisions.
Sources and quotes in this article come from public testimony at the Jan. 6 Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting.
