---

Proponents Withdraw Application, but Similar Project Could Return Later

A proposal to make an existing 95-acre garbage dump almost four times bigger was withdrawn by the applicant this past March. The landfill is located in San Benito County, which lies down Highway 101 from San Jose, due east of Monterey Bay.

The John Smith Road Landfill would have covered just under 500 acres east of Hollister, right at the edge of the Diablo Range. Grassroots groups that fought against the expansion, which Save Mount Diablo helped with funding and communications, are cheering the victory.

But a similar expansion could be proposed in the future.

Save Mount Diablo is supporting local efforts in San Benito County to support its agricultural economy and open space, and promote low-impact public recreation in the region’s protected areas.

In late January, the San Benito County Planning Commission voted to NOT approve a recommendation to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors for the expansion to be approved.

The planning commission cited widespread community opposition based on air pollution, water and soil contamination, noise, and traffic concerns.

Out of the 41 people who spoke about the project during the January planning commission hearing, only one was in favor of the landfill expansion.

One of the biggest complaints was that a large part of the landfill expansion would be meant to receive garbage from outside of San Benito County. Taking in trash from outside the county was previously stopped, but would have continued under the expansion.

The withdrawal of the application is a victory to be celebrated, but because the existing landfill is expected to fill up in the next 15 years, similar proposals may come up in the future.

San Benito County includes a larger part of the Diablo Range than any other county.

Though San Benito is nearly as large as both Contra Costa and Alameda counties put together, it has a population just under that of the City of Walnut Creek, at about 68,000 people.

A large part of San Benito County lacks access to park land that residents can enjoy, and many are unaware of the existing public land that is out there.

In San Benito County, we have a great opportunity to protect a large highly diverse area for wildlife, open space, and recreation. And we can make the natural world more accessible to people who could greatly benefit from it.