State Board grants permit to Nursery Products LLC

As an elected official I felt it was important to travel to Sacramento to oppose Nursery Products LLC biowaste facilty. The California Integrated Waste Management Board read all letters, comments and emails from the residents of Hinkley and made a sincere effort to listen to our concerns. Although they issued a permit, they will be closely monitoring the sludge processing facility. Joe

Plant issued permit Residents' complaints overruled, hotline to be set up Andrew Silva, Staff Writer A proposed sludge processing facility eight miles from Hinkley took another step forward Tuesday when a state board issued a permit over the objections of residents. Surprise inspections will be required under the permit issued by the California Integrated Waste Management Board. In addition, the developer will have to set up a hotline and Web site for residents to log any complaints or report problems. Residents and officials from Hinkley and Barstow were able to make their comments to the board in Sacramento through a video link in Barstow. "We went in knowing it would be a landmark if they denied the permit," said Norman Diaz, a Hinkley resident who's been leading the fight against the sludge processing facility. "They have never denied a permit." Barstow Councilman Joe Gomez did travel to Sacramento to make a presentation in person. After several hours of testimony and questions, the board voted 5-0 to issue the permit after it imposed the additional conditions of extra inspections and the hotline. Apple Valley-based Nursery Products LLC got permission from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in February to set up the composting facility. But permits from several regulatory agencies are required first. The company proposes to take up to 2,000 tons per day of biosolids, the soggy remnants after treating sewage, mix it with wood waste and compost it into mulch and fertilizer. The 160-acre site is near the closed Hawes airport about a mile south of Highway 58, eight miles west of Hinkley and about 25 miles from Barstow. A lawsuit has already been filed by the community group calling itself helphinkley.org and other environmental groups to stop the project. Residents are worried about the frequent high winds in the desert, fearing dust and contaminants could easily reach town. Diaz, though, was pleased the waste board members asked good questions based on the concerns raised and then required monthly surprise inspections. "Half our group was pretty happy. Half was pretty disappointed," he said. "Now we have a little hope that if it does get in, there will be more people keeping an eye on it." The next chapter comes Aug. 27 when the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District considers new rules for composting operations. Opponents are hoping the district will require a full enclosure with filters. Certain composting operations must be enclosed in the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which includes the urban areas of San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties. Such a requirement is not feasible or cost-effective in the Mojave Desert district, according to an analysis by district staff. Instead, there are certain management practices related to moisture content, temperature and other factors that should be required to minimize problems, said Alan DeSalvio, supervising air quality engineer for the district.