LANDFILL'S OWNERS WANT TO TRIPLE SIZE; CITIZENS GROUP FEARS EXPANSION COULD LEAD TO IMPORTS OF WASTES.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

The Lancaster Landfill would nearly triple in size, accept 10 tons of sewer sludge every day and handle asbestos - a suspected carcinogen - under a plan by owner Waste Management Inc.

The proposal before Los Angeles County seeks a permit to increase the size of the landfill from 102 acres to 276 acres and increase its daily limit from 1,000 tons of trash to 1,700. One environmental group fears the expansion would put the dump in a position to import refuse from outside the Antelope Valley.

``We have probably about two years of life at the current site,'' said Doug Corcoran, general manager of the landfill. ``We've been here for 43 years and we have to continue to be a part of the Antelope Valley growth and development. Where else is it going to go?''

The permit would extend the life of the landfill, located at 600 E. Ave. F, through the year 2010. The permit application also requests extending the hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday to 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on those days.

The permit application also seeks to allow the height of trash piled to go from 2,395 feet above sea level - about 78 feet above the surrounding terrain - to 2,420 feet above sea level, about 103 feet above the surrounding terrain.

The permit application is raising concerns among High Desert Citizens Against Pollution, who believe the expansion would put Waste Management in a position to bid to bring waste from outside the Antelope Valley.

The landfill accepts at the most 600 tons a day, below the already permitted level of 1,000 tons.

``I see no need justified for that,'' said Lyle Talbot, a member of the citizens group. ``There's no need to do that unless they import. The growth is not there.''

The 1,700 tons a day figure was derived by estimating the Antelope Valley's growth going into the early part of the next century. While the landfill has accepted waste for Los Angeles, Edwards Air Force Base, and San Bernardino County, the increased tonnage request is to handle local growth, Corcoran said.

``Because of our location it's a long haul for anybody to come up,'' Corcoran said of trash importation.

The Lancaster Landfill was permitted to accept trash imported for El Cajon in 1994 over objections from environmental groups about the impact on traffic and air pollution and groundwater quality. The landfill has not accepted any El Cajon trash for over a year.

Another concern raised by High Desert Citizens Against Pollution is the acceptance of sewer sludge. It would be preferred if sewer sludge went to a landfill specifically set up for sludge, not a general landfill, Talbot said.

If the landfill is to accept sludge, the citizens group wants to make sure that Lancaster is not accepting wastes from other areas.

The landfill has accepted small amounts of sludge in the past, Corcoran said. The sludge has come from the Avenue D water treatment plant and only on an occasional basis.

The Los Angeles County Planning Commission will hear public comments on the conditional-use permit application at a meeting at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Lancaster Public Library, 601 W. Lancaster Blvd.