Senator Vargas’ Gregory Canyon Protection Bill Clears Final Hurdle in Legislature, Now Awaiting Governor’s Signature
Bipartisan Assemblymembers vote 70-1 to Preserve Sacred Sites, Protect Environment
SACRAMENTO, CA (August 31, 2011) – Senator Juan Vargas’ Gregory Canyon Protection Bill, SB 833, received strong bipartisan approval on the Floor of the California State Assembly with a 70-1 vote. Vargas is authoring SB 833 to protect Gregory Canyon, an important regional drinking water supply, the region’s habitat and native species, and to preserve the sacred and spiritual sites of the Luiseño people. Today’s vote was the final step needed for approval in the State Legislature, and is now heading to the Governor for his approval.
“Seldom do Republicans and Democrats agree, almost completely, on an important issue in Sacramento, as they have today in trying to stop a dump from being built on a river and Native American sacred site,” stated Senator Juan Vargas (D-San Diego). “Everyone came together to send a clear, loud message that both the San Luis Rey River, an important drinking water source, and an important sacred site must be protected from contamination and desecration.”
Gregory Canyon is a pristine, undeveloped canyon at the headwaters of the San Luis Rey River that is proposed to become a landfill. The construction of the landfill would impact two blue lined streams and would cause a loss of a tributary to the San Luis Rey River placing the river at risk of landslides, leachate spills from trucks and contaminated runoff.
SB 833 would prohibit the construction or operation of a solid waste landfill disposal facility in the County of San Diego if that facility is either located on or within 1,000 feet of the San Luis Rey River or an aquifer that is hydrologically connected to that river; the disposal facility is on or within 1,000 feet of a site that is considered to be sacred or is of spiritual or cultural importance to a federally recognized Indian Tribe that is listed in the California Native American Heritage Commission Sacred Lands Inventory. The Gregory Canyon landfill site is located in northern San Diego County on State Route 76, approximately three miles east of Interstate 15, and two miles southwest of the community occupied by the Pala Band of Mission Indians.
Vargas represents the 40th California State Senate District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, portions of Riverside County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire US/Mexico border. Vargas represented the 79th California State Assembly District from 2000 – 2006 and served on the San Diego City Council from 1993 – 2000.
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