Community members are invited to share their opinions on BenitoLink. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Community members are invited to share their opinions on BenitoLink. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Image courtesy of Maureen Nelson.
Image courtesy of Maureen Nelson.

This community opinion was written by resident Maureen Nelson. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. BenitoLink invites all community members to share their ideas and opinions. By registering as a BenitoLink user in the top right corner of our home page and agreeing to follow our Terms of Use, you can write counter opinions or share your insights on current issues.

Friends and neighbors of San Benito County started a grassroots organization “Don’t Dump on San Benito” when we learned about the proposed John Smith Road Landfill (JSRL) expansion through a Facebook post.

Waste Connections, the landfill operator, is proposing a landfill expansion of 5 times the current size to 483 Acres. Daily trash will be allowed to increase from 1000 tons up to 2300 tons. Currently 80% of the daily trash arrives from five out-of-county locations (Fresno, Alameda, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara County). With the proposed increase there could be up to 91% of the waste coming from outside of San Benito County.

Our group said, “say what?”

Why does San Benito County need a landfill bigger than the landfills in Santa Clara and Monterey County when our population is roughly 64,000?

Over the summer of 2021, as we learned more about the landfill expansion proposal through the Notice of Preparation (NOP), we started knocking on residents’ doors and realized that the majority of the county residents were unaware of the landfill expansion and the quantity of out-of-county trash coming into our local landfill.

We passed out thousands of informational flyers in parking lots of Safeway, Target, Nob Hill and walked door to door in residential areas. The majority of the response from the residents was disbelief, shock, outrage and frustration over the amount of out of county garbage being dumped on the residents of San Benito County’s landfill.

Residents also complained about the number and frequency of the large dump trucks on our local roads driving seven days a week as early as 7 a.m. even on Sunday mornings. We also discovered that local San Benito County residents are charged $57.00 per ton while the out of county haulers are charged $30.00 per ton and consume over 80% of the current landfill space with the potential of consuming 91% or more with the expansion.

We ask our San Benito County Board of Supervisors who is your customer? Is it not the residents of San Benito County?

The John Smith Road Landfill is owned by the County of San Benito, therefore the people of San Benito County are the owners of the landfill.

Again, this is why Don’t Dump on San Benito continues to educate the local community by passing out flyers and providing yard signs with great community support.

The operation of the landfill is overseen by Waste Connections.

Why do we have to put up with all of the out of county trash trucks damaging our roads and putting diesel fuel emissions into the air?

What is the status of the John Smith Road Landfill expansion proposal?

Don’t Dump on San Benito and the County Board of Supervisors are waiting for the release of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) within the next 30-90 days. By law, Waste Connections must have the EIR written for the proposed expansion with multiple alternatives including a “no project alternative.” The following partial list of impacts of the proposed expansion will be disclosed in the EIR.

  • Public health and safety
  • Air quality / air pollution
  • Geology
  • Greenhouse gas emissions and climate change (methane gas)
  • Hydrology & water quality (leachate (garbage juice) creating ground water contamination)
  • Traffic
  • Noise
  • Hazards and hazardous materials

What is the future vision for San Benito County residents?

Our county is currently known as the Gateway to the Pinnacles with abundant open space, wine trails, organic farming, hiking and biking trails, and beautiful vistas. Do the people of San Benito County want to take the risk of being known as the garbage dump for five surrounding counties?

We have the opportunity today to protect and preserve our resources for our generation, our children’s generation and all future generations. What we do today will live on into the future for the good, the bad, and ugly. It is up to the citizens of San Benito County to choose their future path. Don’t let others choose the path for you!

What Can You Do?

  • Get informed, ask questions, get involved.
  • Join other San Benito County Residents by supporting and joining Dontdumponsanbenito.org
  • Check out the San Benito County Website: John Smith Landfill Expansion

For additional background information:

Marty Richman- BenitoLink 12/02/2016:

Marty Richman- BenitoLink 09/11/2017

Joel Buckingham- BenitoLink 2/2/2022

“Quantifying the Impact of Out-Of-County Waste Transport on San Benito County”