LOS ANGELES, CA – Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was honored for her work to protect public health and fight for accountability for residents impacted by the Chiquita Canyon Landfill crisis. The award came from the Sierra Club Los Angeles Chapter.
“I am deeply grateful to receive this award, which is shared with the residents of Val Verde and Castaic who have courageously fought for action and accountability at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “Residents’ lives and health have been forever changed by the fire burning underground at the landfill. I am so grateful for their leadership - sounding the alarm long before government agencies responded with the urgency this crisis demanded. They have shared their stories, attended countless meetings and hearings, traveled to Sacramento to testify, and refused to allow their community to be ignored. Their courage and persistence have driven every step of our work.”
Since this crisis began, Assemblywoman Schiavo has worked alongside residents to demand a stronger response from state agencies, push for greater accountability from the landfill operator, and secure additional protections and assistance for impacted families. She has repeatedly brought state officials directly to the community, elevated residents’ experiences in Sacramento, and even camped out alongside community members to call attention to the conditions families were being forced to endure.
Assemblywoman Schiavo has also fought to strengthen California’s landfill safety regulations so other communities do not experience a crisis like Chiquita Canyon. Her Landfill Safety Act, AB 28, would establish stronger protections and oversight for landfills experiencing dangerous elevated-temperature conditions, incorporating lessons learned directly from the Chiquita Canyon disaster. And the Landfill Data Transparency Act, AB 2674, will make it law for critical landfill gas and temperature data to be publicly accessible. Throughout the legislative process, Assemblywoman Schiavo has centered the voices of Val Verde and Castaic residents, bringing community members to Sacramento to testify before lawmakers and ensuring their experiences help shape statewide policy.
During the ceremony, Assemblywoman Schiavo also recognized Val Verde and Castaic residents Katie Dalton, José Bobadilla, Oshea Orchid, Jennifer Elkins, and Randahl Elkins for their continued advocacy on behalf of their community.
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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.