MECCA – This week Senator Barbara Boxer issued a statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) crackdown on Western Environmental, Inc., the company that operates a waste handling facility on Native American lands in Mecca. The plant is not owned or operated by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.
Residents have been complaining for months about the foul odor similar to that of rotten eggs, claiming it was making them sick. South Coast Air Quality Management District officials traced the odor back to the plant and took air samples. The samples showed traces of Benzene, which is linked to cancer, but not in high enough levels to cause a significant threat.
Senator Boxer is the chairman of the Environmental and Public Works Committee. On May 5, she sent a letter to the EPA strongly urging the agency’s continued involvement. She wrote, “My understanding from EPA regional officials is that an investigation is underway and that I can expect action in the very near future to address this serious problem. The EPA has broad authority under federal environmental laws, including section 7003 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which allows EPA to work rapidly with all parties to address threats to public health from dangerous pollution.”
“The EPA must take prompt action to protect the children and families in this community. Parents should not fear for their children's safety simply because they are breathing the air. I know that you share my belief in our important mission to protect our children.“
“Please let me know in detail what immediate steps EPA will be taking -- because this situation is intolerable.”
Boxer, who has a home in Rancho Mirage, an upscale city located about 20 miles from Mecca, stated this week, "I am very pleased that EPA has ordered Western Environmental to eliminate the noxious odors coming from the Mecca waste site, which is located so close to area schools. Last week, I urged EPA to take immediate steps to address the overpowering emissions coming from the waste facility, which has mounds of untreated contaminated soil standing more than 40 feet high. This enforcement action and steps taken today by the State of California are necessary to protect the health and safety of children and families in the community of Mecca, and I will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that Western Environmental cleans up the source of pollution at this site."
Some officials claim that the waste handling plant is only one source of the odor. Mecca is located on the edge of the Salton Sea and is known to have a “fishy” odor. They suggest this year’s rains have contributed to the odors and are continuing their search for other causes. In the meantime, Western Environmental is being forced to take steps to reduce the odors being emitted from their facility.
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