Prior April articles noted the county hasn’t landscaped Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real airport slopes for decades. And Carlsbad has failed to preserve these scenic corridors.
Why No Landscaping?
Rumor has it that the county won’t plant and water Palomar slopes. The county wants to keep water out of the Palomar landfills. Yes, I know. Sad that we have to rely on rumors and public record act requests to know what the county isn’t telling us.
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Why does the county fear water on Palomar slopes? Apparently, because water seeps into many trash layers carting rotting waste leachate into the ground and possibly ground waters.
What Rotting Trash?
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Until 1986, the county filled up three canyons on the Palomar Airport site west of El Camino Real with “trash” including Del Mar stable waste. Such trash rots for about 60 years creating methane gas and pavement settlement. Several times such leaking gas has ignited underground Palomar landfill fires. One smoldered for about six months in the mid 2000s.
The landfills explain why the county wants to place more than 1000 piles through the Palomar trash to create a stable platform to extend the runway and taxiways 900 feet at the runway east end toward El Camino Real. For a mere $70 million.
Did a “Trash” EIR Anticipate Palomar Landfill Problems?
Regrettably, neither the county nor Carlsbad prepared a proper California Environmental Quality Act analysis when trashing the Carlsbad canyons. What issues might a properly prepared EIR have identified? Perhaps these:
- No Landfill Liner. The county will fill up three canyons at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad with trash. To save money, the county will not line canyons to catch rotting oozing trash liquids. We do not see the impact as significant.
- No Landscaping. Because there is no landfill liner, the county will keep the underlying trash dry to lessen leachate migration. We will not landscape Palomar Airport Road and El Camino scenic corridors; we do not want to water plants. No plants, no water will save the county money. We do not see pretty landscaping as significant. We do not worry about rainwater. We will replace the naturally vegetated canyons with acres of asphalt and unlandscaped slopes. We need not provide any mitigation.
- Methane Gas. Rotting trash produces methane gas. We collect the gas. We do not expect underground fires from leaking gas igniting rotting trash. We do not worry about planes crashing into the landfill and disturbing the near-surface gas collection system. We do not worry about leaking gas polluting the air. We see no reportable significant CEQA impacts.
- Settlement. Land settlement over rotting trash is normal. Palomar Airport handles small planes as a general aviation airport. We see no significant impact of small light planes with little fuel operating near an underground network of methane gas piping that sometimes leaks.
Can you trust the county to prepare a proper 2015–2035 Palomar Airport Master Plan EIR and proper runway & taxiway EIR for the proposed $70 Million 900-Foot Extension?
