To consolidate smaller landfills into a single landfill capable of supporting future populations, San Bernardino County expanded the Barstow Sanitary Landfill both vertically and horizontally. As part of the Barstow Landfill Expansion Project, ECORP staff completed CEQA compliant environmental documentation including an Initial Study, Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Mitigation Monitoring, and Reporting Program. Federal, state, and municipal environmental regulations also required the completion of supporting technical studies for:
- Biological Resources
- Cultural Resources
- Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Traffic
- Noise and Groundborne Vibrations
- Aesthetics
These technical studies and reports identified significant, unavoidable impacts for air quality, climate change, and aesthetics, which required the completion of a Findings and a Statement of Overriding Considerations.
This project also required considerable multi-agency coordination, Not only was the project area adjacent to a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) off-highway vehicle area and Desert Wildlife Management Area, it was also in the City of Barstow’s Sphere of Influence and faced significant interest from special-interest groups like the Center for Biological Diversity.
Despite these challenges, the Barstow Sanitary Landfill Project Environmental Impact Report was successfully certified without legal challenge.
