Rep. George Whitesides Visits Residents Impacted by Chiquita Canyon Landfill, Renews Push for Relief
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. George Whitesides joined Val Verde Citizens for the Closure of Chiquita Canyon Landfill to meet with affected residents about the ongoing conditions surrounding the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
During the visit, Rep. Whitesides heard directly from his constituents about the harms caused by the landfill, toured some of the most impacted homes, and visited the air quality monitoring station. He reiterated the need to support impacted residents at the local, state, and federal level.
In February, Rep. Whitesides introduced his first standalone bill, the Chiquita Canyon Tax Relief Act, to ensure anyone receiving relief payments from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill is not taxed on that assistance. Later that month, the Congressman visited Castaic and Val Verde to speak directly with affected families in the area.
In March, Rep. Whitesides called on the EPA to expand and expedite the scope of their investigation into the landfill, given the substantial potential risks to public health and safety. In April, CalEPA announced they were taking action against the landfill.
This month, Rep. Whitesides introduced an amendment to the House budget bill to pass the Chiquita Canyon Tax Relief Act, but House Republicans voted it down in the Rules Committee.
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