News Release

T – 03 – 24
Meredith Williams, Director

Alysa Pakkidis
Alysa.Pakkidis@dtsc.ca.gov

DTSC Proposes Draft Permit for
Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Landfill

Draft permit protects community and environment through new provisions that enhance regulatory oversight

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: To address environmental concerns and modernize regulatory oversight of the Kettleman Hills Facility (KHF), the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a draft permit that includes new requirements for environmental monitoring, hazardous waste screening, worker safety measures and financial assurance. Public comment on the draft permit renewal is open through July 2, 2024.

SACRAMENTO – DTSC has proposed a draft permit renewal that includes stronger permit requirements for KHF while authorizing landfill operations for another 10 years. Protecting public health and considering historical environmental injustices for the surrounding community have been priorities throughout the draft permit decision-making process, which includes extended and enhanced public engagement. KHF is one of two hazardous waste landfills in California and operates pursuant to a series of federal, state and local permits.

WHAT DIRECTOR MEREDITH WILLIAMS SAID: “We’ve heard community members’ concerns loud and clear, and we are raising the bar for compliance at KHF. Leveraging our regulatory authority, DTSC has prepared a draft permit that is significantly stronger than the facility’s existing permit. The stringent conditions in the permit support rigorous inspections and enforcement when necessary. We will continue to conduct frequent, unannounced inspections to hold the facility accountable to the new requirements we are putting in place. We welcome feedback on this draft permit and look forward to continued engagement with all stakeholders.”

Strengthened Compliance and Increased Protective Measures

The draft permit introduces dozens of new conditions to modernize and elevate operational standards. The new conditions include enhanced hazardous waste screening, worker safety measures, extensive environmental monitoring and financial assurance. Examples include:

• Increased, recurring sampling of wastes to ensure protection against uncontrolled releases.
• More stringent requirements for what hazardous waste can be accepted.
• Strengthened on-site worker safety conditions, including mandatory training and safety inspections.
• Increased quality of environmental monitoring.
• Updated financial assurance for closure to ensure that the operators of KHF – not the public – will pay for any future costs related to closing the facility.

“The draft permit and the community vulnerabilities analysis represent an important step toward evaluating the Kettleman Hills Facility’s impacts on nearby residents already facing numerous environmental threats,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “We look forward to partnering with DTSC and with the community to ensure their concerns are considered before the permit is finalized.”

Enforcement Actions Considered

As part of the draft permit renewal decision-making process, DTSC analyzed and considered KHF’s full compliance history, including any enforcement actions. Since 2004, DTSC has conducted over 65 inspections at the facility. The most recent 2023 inspections found no violations. In the past five years, inspections have uncovered only minor recordkeeping and labeling violations, with no violations related to environmental releases or contamination. DTSC grades facilities based on their compliance history, and KHF ranks in the top tier of compliant facilities.

Evaluating Community and Environmental Vulnerabilities

The community of Kettleman City has endured a long history of environmental injustices and continues to face multiple pollution burdens. DTSC is sensitive to this history and have examined a broad range of potential public health and environmental impacts from the facility through this crucial lens. DTSC determined that the stronger requirements being proposed in the draft permit renewal will benefit people living and working in and around Kettleman City.

DTSC analyzed impacts and community vulnerabilities from KHF’s operations, looking at each of the social and environmental indicators from CalEnviroScreen – a tool used to assess pollution burdens in communities. DTSC is publishing a report summarizing the potential impacts from KHF.

Kettleman City and the surrounding area are vulnerable to air pollution. DTSC determined through its CalEnviroScreen report, as well as use of emissions modeling, that renewing KHF’s permit to operate will not significantly impact air quality. DTSC is requiring KHF to monitor and report air emissions data to the public on a regular basis.

Enhancing Language Access and Civil Rights

DTSC has adopted policies to enhance language access and civil rights, ensuring inclusivity in the decision-making process. Spanish translation of key documents, live interpreters at meetings, and independent reviews are part of these initiatives.

DTSC has incorporated an extended and enhanced public engagement process that ensures everyone has access to information about the draft permit renewal and that public input is received throughout the process.

Prioritizing Community Engagement

DTSC welcomes community input and feedback on the draft permit. The Department will hold a 90-day public comment period and host in-person workshops in Kettleman City, with Spanish-speaking translators available to provide language assistance to those who need it.

The first community meeting on this draft permit will be a public workshop to share information about the CalEnviroScreen report and hear community input. It will be held in person on May 9, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

In addition, an in-person public meeting and hearing will be held on May 15, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. At this meeting and hearing, DTSC will share information about the draft permit and respond to clarifying questions.

Both community meetings will take place at Kettleman City Elementary School, 701 General Petroleum Avenue, Kettleman City, CA.

For more information, please visit the following web pages:

• DTSC’s Kettleman Hills Facility Homepage
• Kettleman Hills Facility Draft Permit Documents
• Community Update: [English]  [Spanish]
• Kettleman City Vulnerability Evaluation using CalEnviroScreen Data: [English]  [Spanish]
• Civil Rights Analysis Report: [English]  [Spanish]
• Corrective Action and other facility data: EnviroStor (ca.gov)

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FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: Contact the Department of Toxic Substances Control to report illegal handling, discharge, or disposal of hazardous waste or other environmental concerns at Calepa.my.salesforce-sites.com/complaints/Complaint.