LOS ANGELES, CA — City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado Thursday called for meaningful consequences against Lineage Logistics for what she believes will be the company's failure to meet a 45-day deadline to fully remove food waste from its fire-damaged warehouse in Boyle Heights.
Under an executive directive issued in July, Mayor Karen Bass gave Lineage a deadline to clear out food waste, which is expected to expire at 5 p.m. Friday. Jurado said despite the company's best efforts they are expected to miss it, and called on Bass to hold Lineage accountable.
"I am deeply disappointed and angry. For nearly two months, families in Boyle Heights have lived with unbearable odors, flies and pests, truck traffic, uncertainty, and disruption to their homes, businesses, and daily lives. They were told there was a deadline, and they had every right to expect that deadline to mean something," Jurado said in a statement.
A representative for Lineage did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As of Wednesday, the company reported it had removed about 93% of the bulk food waste.
The councilwoman said she hopes the company will meet their deadline, and if food waste is out by the weekend or early next week, she will be relieved for the community. But she urged Bass to enforce penalties against the company if they ultimately miss their deadline.
"I welcome every additional resource and every dollar of assistance that reaches Boyle Heights families, workers, and small businesses. But charitable assistance cannot substitute for accountability. The companies responsible for creating and responding to this disaster must bear responsibility for making this community whole," Jurado said in a statement.
Jurado noted that she was concerned the company might fail to meet additional deadline set forth by Bass. Within 90 days of the executive order, the company must have full structural and construction debris removed, and within 120 days the company must obtain final environmental clearance.
Bass and other officials are scheduled to hold a public forum at 6 p.m. at the Lou Costello Recreation Center in Boyle Heights to provide residents with an update on the warehouse cleanup, discuss resources available to affected residents and businesses and outline the next steps.
Cleanup began July 7 at the cold storage facility at 1400 S. Los Palos St., where a June 17 fire burned for more than a week and left large quantities of spoiled food inside.
Lineage Logistics said earlier this week it expected to complete the removal of the bulk food waste by the end of the week.
"We continue to make meaningful progress against this massive cleanup effort every single day, and we will keep working until the job is done," Jeff Rivera, Lineage Logistics' chief operating officer, said in a statement released Tuesday.
The company has pledged to spend between $80 million and $100 million on cleanup efforts.
The cleanup has generated thousands of odor complaints from surrounding neighborhoods and concerns about flies, rats and other pests.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District said it received more than 4,200 odor complaints related to the warehouse between July 12 and Aug. 5 and issued 25 notices of violations to Lineage.
A South Coast AQMD hearing board last week unanimously approved a modified abatement order requiring the company to implement additional odor- control measures during the cleanup.
Lineage said it has distributed hundreds of fly traps to residents, while Orkin pest control service is installing 576 traps in public spaces in the surrounding neighborhood.
The company also said Tuesday it had contacted 87% of residents closest to the warehouse and would continue attempts to reach the remaining households.
The fire sent thick smoke into the air and prompted officials to advise nearby residents to remain indoors. The city, county and state issued local emergency declarations in the days following the blaze.
The fire and its aftermath also prompted state lawmakers this week to announce proposed legislation aimed at increasing penalties and imposing additional requirements on cold storage facilities.
Assemblyman Mark González, D-Los Angeles, is seeking to require contingency funds for new cold storage facilities in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, while Sen. María Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, is proposing increased fines for public health violations at such facilities.
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