December 21, 2001
Contact: Vicki Clark, EDC- (805) 963-1622
Bob Hazard, Gaviota Coast Conservancy- (805) 968-8406
Hillary Hauser, Heal the Ocean- (805) 895-5559
Keith Zandona, Surfrider Foundation- (805) 964-3232

TAJIGUAS LAKE - STUDY FINDS LANDFILL SATURATED BY GROUNDWATER
Environmental Groups Release Long Awaited Report

SANTA BARBARA, CA.- On Friday morning, a coalition of Santa Barbara environmental groups released the long-awaited hydrogeological report on the Tajiguas Landfill. The report, "Evaluation and Reporting on Contaminant Hydrogeological Conditions at the Tajiguas Landfill," was prepared by GeoSolv, LLC- Van Nuys, the consulting firm best known for its assistance on the Erin Brockovich/PG&E case. GeoSolv's report identifies the positioning of groundwater in relation to the landfill waste - and the two are mixing, which is a violation of state law.

"We were already concerned about the elevated bacteria levels near the landfill," said Bob Hazard of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy. "We were shocked to learn that the landfill is contaminating groundwater and could be leaking into local creeks and out to the ocean."

Indeed, according to the report, the "Technical Studies" supplement contained within the County's Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the expansion of the Tajiguas landfill contains information that points to groundwater saturation reaching at least 100 feet up into landfill waste (see attached map). This conclusion was made from observations of county-hired consultants who documented high levels of standing water in the gas extraction wells, new monitoring wells, de-watering wells and trenches throughout the landfill.

The mixing of water and trash is in violation of state law that requires all new or existing landfills to maintain a five-foot distance between wastes and the highest groundwater level, with no exemptions.

"The Tajiguas Landfill cannot be expanded, or even continued in its present state," said Hillary Hauser of Heal the Ocean. "Arroyo Quemada has been labeled THE dirtiest beach in Southern California, and now we know why."
The GeoSolv report states that the polluted groundwater is getting to the ocean through a series of fractured rock - bypassing the interceptor trench installed by the county to interrupt the flow of groundwater to the sea. The report further states that the Tajiguas Landfill "as of today, poses undetermined likely risk to human health, drinking water and the environment."

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The consultants based their findings on an extensive review of geological and hydrogeological maps of the Tajiguas Landfill area, numerous documents from Santa Barbara County's Solid Waste Department, and correspondence between the Regional Water Quality Control Board and Santa Barbara County regarding environmental problems at the landfill. The report notes written concerns from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWCQB) to the county's Solid Waste Department - including a June 19, 1998 notice of violation from the agency to the county regarding the "five-foot rule."
"The Regional Board's lack of enforcement of the 'five-foot rule' against the County is baffling in light of all the evidence," said Vicki Clark, a staff attorney for the Environmental Defense Center. "While the Board issued a notice of violation in 1998, the County has done nothing to resolve the problem."
As for the County's recent DNA tests implicating seabirds as the source of ocean pollution problems at Arroyo Quemada, the environmental coalition points out that these tests were not designed to include all potential sources of contamination in the area - notably the landfill. Instead, the tests focused solely on seabirds being the likely source of pollution.

"The County is looking at expanding this problematic landfill," said Keith Zandona of the Santa Barbara Surfrider Foundation, "but they're not even in compliance with existing laws. The County literally needs to clean up its act."
The Surfrider Foundation, represented by the Environmental Defense Center, the Gaviota Coast Conservancy and Heal the Ocean contracted with GeoSolv earlier this year to investigate environmental conditions at the landfill. The groups have been working together on this issue in order to provide accurate data to the public about the real sources of pollution in the area, and to offer possible solutions.

The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) is a non-profit, public interest law firm dedicated to protecting and preserving the environment, quality of life, and health of the Central Coast region.

Heal the Ocean is a non-profit citizens action group whose focus is to deal with the critical issue of nearshore pollution along the Santa Barbara county coastline.

Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to protecting the world's waves, beaches and ocean and to ensure access for all through conservation activism, research and education.

The Gaviota Coast Conservancy is a non-profit organization that focuses on preserving and protecting the Gaviota Coast. The Gaviota Coast is the last undeveloped remnant of the Southern California coastline.