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Kings County signs on as cosponsor of SB 1289 after residents press for local briefing
Summary
After extensive public comment from Kettleman City residents and proponents from Waste Management, the Kings County Board of Supervisors voted to cosponsor draft SB 1289 to require California‑deemed hazardous waste be disposed at hazardous-waste facilities and committed to hold rapid town‑hall briefings in directly affected communities.
The Kings County Board of Supervisors voted March 10 to cosponsor draft Senate Bill 1289, a legislative proposal that would require hazardous waste designated by California to be disposed of at hazardous-waste (subtitle C/RCRA) facilities rather than at less regulated sites. The staff presentation tied the request to potential worker and environmental protections and to county revenues generated by operations at the Kettleman Hills hazardous-waste facility.
The decision followed nearly two hours of public comment from residents of Kettleman City, where speakers repeatedly said the community had not been adequately consulted and that the bill’s language had not been publicly released. “I’m not here to support or oppose the bill in this moment, but I am here to ask that the board maybe wait till we have a better opportunity to brief the Kettleman City public,” said Miguel, who identified himself as a Kettleman City resident and community member.
Residents described longstanding local health and pollution concerns connected to the nearby hazardous‑waste site and urged supervisors to ensure community health and benefit-sharing are prioritized before a formal position is taken. Ryan Caden, another Kettleman City resident, said: “The residents living there are the ones who would experience the consequences. They deserve a say before this board acts.”
Representatives for Waste Management and the Kettleman Hills facility countered that the draft bill aims to ensure state‑designated hazardous material is disposed at facilities meeting federal/state hazardous‑waste standards, which they argued improves worker safety and environmental controls. Bob Henry of the local facility said the company’s analyses found the facilities could handle the state’s needs and emphasized worker protections and environmental monitoring.
Staff and the office of Sen. Melissa Hurtado urged the board to identify cosponsors now so county staff and cosponsors can help draft bill language by the legislative printing deadline later in March. Christy Molf, director of government affairs for Waste Management, described the request as a “spot bill” at this stage and said cosponsor participation is typical for developing the first version of bill language.
Supervisors weighed the trade-offs between meeting the legislative timing and ensuring meaningful local outreach. The board approved the cosponsorship by roll call vote, with supervisors directing staff and Waste Management to schedule in‑person town halls in Kettleman City (including translation services) before the bill’s formal introduction and to provide residents the draft language as soon as it is available.
Next steps: staff will coordinate town‑hall outreach, work with the senator’s office on bill language, and provide community briefings before any substantive legislative testimony or further board positions.
