PANEL MAY PULL BAN ON SLUDGE.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

State water quality officials are considering rescinding a cease and desist order that stopped a Redlands company from spreading sewer sludge on farmland in the Antelope Valley.

At a March 5 public hearing to be held in Lancaster, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board will consider rescinding the order issued in November 1996 against Pima Gro Systems Inc. following citizen complaints about violations of a sludge spreading permit.

``It's really a housekeeping item,'' said Hisam Baqai, a Lahontan engineer. ``They have no intention of spreading any more sludge. There's no need for further enforcement action.''

The water board had voted 7-0 in 1996 to issue the cease and desist order to Pima Gro Systems Inc., applying to five Antelope Valley farms, because of permit violations observed when the company spread sewage sludge Oct. 28 at the Derrick Ranch at 90th Street East and Avenue H.

Pima Gro violated its permit by spreading sludge during heavy winds that blew the material off the farm, officials said. The company also failed to till the sludge into the soil within 12 hours after it was applied and failed to secure the field from the public.

Anti-sludge activists videotaped the blowing sludge.

Pima Gro officials did not return phone calls Thursday. During the Nov. 7, 1996, meeting, company officials said they would pull out of the Antelope Valley altogether because of the controversy over the use of sludge.