Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo Responds to Alarming Health Study Results at Chiquita Canyon Landfill, Continues to Call for Urgent Action

Santa Clarita – Following the release of a new CASPER (Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response) survey revealing alarming health impacts near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo issued the following statement:

“After calling for a CASPER health study for many months, I am grateful that California Communities Against Toxics stepped up to complete this survey of residents. The results are frightening and confirm what residents have been telling us for years: people are getting sick, families are suffering, and lives are being put in danger and upended by this ongoing public health crisis caused by the toxic chemicals being released by the 90-acre underground fire at Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

Over 80% of households report asthma symptoms with 93% of households using medications for Asthma or wheezing. As a mother, seeing that 23% of households have experienced a miscarriage heartbreaking — that’s 57 times the LA County average. These results are frightening and in every category they are well above average for LA County or California. These are not just statistics; these are our kids, our grandparents, our friends and family. This data validates our neighbors’ lived experience—and it demands immediate action.

This week the court is hearing the Los Angeles County motion for a preliminary injunction and to compel the landfill to pay for relocation and relief. While I’m hoping the lawsuit is successful, if decisive action to support our community doesn’t move forward immediately, this health survey shows we cannot in good conscience wait any longer to act.

In the event that an injunction is not granted, the local public health authority, the county, and the state must step in to act urgently to protect the health and safety of our community. That includes accelerating permanent relocation assistance, helping residents afford mitigation measures, and continuing all efforts to hold those responsible at the landfill accountable to make residents whole who invested their lives in what are now toxic homes.

The people of Castaic, Val Verde, and Santa Clarita deserve safe homes and schools, air that isn’t making them sick, and a future free from toxic exposure. We will not stop fighting until that becomes a reality.”

According to a press release from California Communities Against Toxics, the CASPER study results found the following shocking results:

“Of households participating in the survey:

➢ 85% report having someone experiencing hypertension/high blood pressure. The normal rate for this area of Los Angeles County is 23.7% of the population. [3.5 times higher than the average]

➢ 46% report having someone experiencing heart disease.The rate for Californians is 5.9%. [7.7 times higher than the average]

➢ 23% report having a member who has experienced a miscarriage in the past 3 years. Normal miscarriage rates for Los Angeles County are 0.4% of the population. [57 times higher than the average]

➢ 29.5% of households report someone suffering from Cancer in the past 3 years. In Los Angeles County 1.2% of households are affected by cancer annually or 3.6% in a 3 year period would be expected to be affected by a cancer diagnosis. [24.6 or 8.2 times higher, respectively, than the average]“

After learning about the dire impacts to community member’s health in 2024, and even staying overnight in the community to experience it herself, where she had immediate symptoms including burning eyes, throat and skin, nausea, headaches, rigging ears and even a bloody nose; Assemblywoman Schiavo has tirelessly fought for action for this impacted community, including requesting $50 million in state relocation assistance, organizing legislators to call for a State Of Emergency from state and county officials. She also introduced and advanced a suite of legislation directly aimed at protecting residents impacted by the Chiquita Canyon Landfill crisis. Today The Landfill Fire Safety Act (AB 28) passed out of Senate Environmental Quality Committee, requires early warning systems, air monitoring, increased state oversight to prevent future public health disasters, and a community relief fund from penalties on negligent landfills.TheChiquita Canyon Tax Relief Act (AB 27), which was folded into the state budget and signed into law, ensures that emergency assistance for impacted residents is not taxed or counted against eligibility for other benefits. And The Chiquita Canyon Community Assistance Act (AB 985) that will allow residents to reassess their property for the purposes of property tax and provides a five year moratorium, similar to wildfire relief, on property tax delinquency penalties.