SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo’s Landfill Safety Act (AB 28) was signed into law, establishing a model for the nation for landfill safety, creating stronger protections to identify dangerous conditions at landfills earlier, require corrective action before they become full-scale disasters, preventing landfill fires from becoming unstoppable, and creating a community fund to give direct financial support to communities harmed when landfill operators fail to act.
Assemblywoman Schiavo’s Landfill Data Transparency Act (AB 2674) was also signed into law, which will increase public access to landfill data so residents, journalists, and public officials can identify warning signs and raise concerns before conditions escalate.
Both laws were shaped by the ongoing 90 acre underground landfill fire and the resulting public health crisis at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Residents in Val Verde, Castaic, Stevenson Ranch and surrounding communities have spent years raising alarms about odors, toxic emissions, and serious health impacts associated with the landfill, and these laws are a result of their hard-work, advocacy, and tenacity.
“This law belongs to the families of Val Verde and Castaic, who have fought every step of the way to improve their lives and the lives of their neighbors,” said Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo. “They have been made sick, forced from their homes, lost income and property value, and lived every day with the consequences of a landfill disaster they did not create. But they never stopped fighting. They filled vans and drove up to Sacramento hearings, met with legislators, shared deeply personal and heartbreaking stories, and demanded that no other community be forced to go through what they have endured. Because of their courage and persistence, California now has stronger tools to see these disasters coming and act before they spiral out of control.”
The Landfill Safety Act strengthens state oversight and response to dangerous subsurface elevated temperature events by requiring earlier notification, monitoring, corrective action when dangerous conditions develop, and stronger coordination among state, local, and public health agencies.
The law also allows penalties of up to $100,000 per day for certain violations and creates the Landfill Subsurface Fire Mitigation Community Fund, where penalties can be directed to addressing harm to people and communities impacted by these events by providing direct financial support for home hardening or relocation assistance.
“The burning landfill has made me so sick that I became disabled from severe hand tremors and other health issues. It meant my hands weren’t steady enough to safely cook in my restaurant. I lost my businesses and then my home - where I thought I’d retire,” said Val Verde resident José Bobadilla “If the landfill had taken action early they could’ve prevented this disaster. It would've meant me and my neighbors never had to suffer like we have. That’s what the Landfill Safety Act can do for other communities, make sure nobody suffers the way our community is suffering.”
“This is exactly what was missing at Chiquita Canyon: early warning, transparency, accountability, and urgency,” said Jane Williams, Executive Director of California Communities Against Toxics. “We cannot wait until families are sick and a disaster is already out of control before the government steps in. This law changes that. And when landfill operators fail to take corrective action, the penalties should help the communities forced to suffer the consequences.”
The Landfill Data Transparency Act requires landfill methane emissions data collected by the state to be publicly accessible online, giving communities greater ability to identify concerning conditions and help hold both operators and regulators accountable.
“This victory is for every resident who refused to be ignored,” Assemblywoman Schiavo said. “Chiquita Canyon Landfill might be burning for 20 years. This disaster should never happen again. These laws make sure California moves from reactive to proactive and is prepared to protect the next community before it is too late.”
These laws will go into effect January 1, 2027
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Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 and re-elected in 2024 to represent the 40th Assembly District, representing the Northwest San Fernando Valley, Val Verde, Castaic and the Santa Clarita Valley. Upon her election, she was appointed as Assistant Majority Whip by the Speaker of the Assembly and now serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. During her first term she brought back a record $100 million district investments in school and community safety, seniors meal programs, veteran housing, domestic violence services and creating local jobs. Prior to her election, Assemblywoman Schiavo was a Nurse Advocate and Small Business Owner who worked in the labor movement for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, Assemblywoman Schiavo helped deliver healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, to more than one million people. In the Northwest San Fernando Valley, she co-founded an organization that helped secure housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, has delivered more than 50,000 meals to people in need, and increased resources to help keep our communities safe. Assemblywoman Schiavo lives in Chatsworth with her creative kid where they love to hike in the Santa Susana Mountains.