Update 3/22/24: Good news! Waste Solutions, the operator of the John Smith Road Landfill, withdrew their appeal. This means that the Planning Commission’s decision stands, and the expansion will not be moving forward as it is currently proposed, and will not be discussed by the Board of Supervisors on 3/26. There is a possibility that Waste Solutions could come back with a new proposal for a reduced size expansion, so we will continue to watch this issue. We will keep you informed as we learn more.

Thanks to a massive outpouring of public opposition, the San Benito County Planning Commission voted on January 31 to reject the proposal to expand the John Smith Road Landfill to five times its current size! Thank you to everyone who took action in response to our Action Alert. However, the landfill operator, Waste Solutions, has appealed the Planning Commission’s decision to the Board of Supervisors.

On March 26 at 1:30 p.m., the Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not to overturn the Planning Commission’s decision. If the Supervisors vote to overturn the decision and approve the landfill expansion, it will turn hundreds of acres of rangeland into a mountain of garbage visible from Highway 25. The potential environmental risks include groundwater contamination, air pollution, and wear and tear on local roads. In addition to all this, the agreement between the County and Waste Solutions, as it is currently written, could end up costing the county money. Green Foothills is urging the Board of Supervisors to deny the appeal and reject the landfill expansion. Please email the Board of Supervisors or attend the public hearing on March 26 to ask them to deny the appeal.

What’s Happening

San Benito County is considering whether to approve an expansion of the John Smith Road Landfill, located just east of Hollister, from its current size of 95 acres to 483 acres – the size of 365 football fields. This massive expansion is not because San Benito County’s residents generate that much trash, but because the landfill operator is hoping to accept waste from neighboring counties in order to increase their revenue. Instead of the approximately 300 tons of trash per day generated by San Benito residents, the John Smith Road Landfill would become a mega-dump, receiving up to 2,300 tons of garbage per day, 87% of which would come from outside the county (primarily Silicon Valley).

Why It Matters

Expanding the landfill could have huge impacts on the environment. Contamination of groundwater is a serious concern. The landfill itself would use massive amounts of water, pulling up to 408,000 gallons per month from the aquifer. It would also increase air pollution. In addition to the methane gas pollution released by the landfill itself, significantly more trucks would be on the road, and the proposed haul route goes right by the hospital, the proposed site of the new high school, shopping centers, homes, and grocery stores. At capacity, the landfill will change the landscape. The piles created would be so high that they would alter the views of the rolling hills in the area. It would take a beautiful region of the county and literally turn it into a mountain of trash.

The County’s main motivation in considering bringing in up to 2,000 tons of garbage more per day is to generate additional revenue. However, as the agreement between the County and Waste Solutions is currently written, the county could end up covering a disproportionate amount of the cost of repairing and maintaining roads. Ultimately, it’s possible that this expansion could end up costing the county money.

Expanding the landfill would harm San Benito County. It could crowd the streets with truck traffic, deteriorate the roads, deplete and contaminate the aquifers, pollute the air, and forever alter the landscapes. And, it could cost the County financially. We need to protect these essential resources for the safety of the community and the future of San Benito.

What You Can Do

Please use the form below to email the Board of Supervisors to ask them to deny the landfill operator’s appeal. Please also join us at the Public Hearing on March 26 at 1:30 p.m. to tell the Board of Supervisors in person that San Benito residents want to protect our natural resources, open space, and farmland.

Board of Supervisors public hearing on landfill expansion:
Tuesday, March 26, 1:30 p.m.
San Benito County Administration Building, Board of Supervisors Chambers
481 4th Street
Hollister, CA

Please share this alert with other concerned San Benito County residents, and encourage them to sign up for our e-newsletter for updates at greenfoothills.org/subscribe.