Just days after an emotional public meeting where over 300 people expressed outrage at a proposed garbage dump that would be built on the banks of the San Luis Rey River near San Diego, a Superior Court judge issued a ruling that effectively blocks the dump from moving forward with construction.
In his June 14th decision, Judge Robert Dahlquist confirmed that the solid waste permit for the proposed Gregory Canyon Landfill is invalid. His decision upheld a previous court ruling that the permit was issued in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act, and included an injunction barring the developer from starting construction until the County issues a new permit – a process that should require additional public hearings.
This ruling is a significant victory for opponents and critics of this ill-advised project, from environmental and public health advocates including NRDC, to all of San Diego County’s Native American tribes, to a host of local officials and thousands of others who have shown up to meetings and written letters – all with the same goal of saving the San Luis Rey River, its watershed, and San Diego’s drinking water from this unneeded, unwanted dump. But this fight is far from over. We will continue to work with our allies as long as it takes to stop this project for good.