Sludge Watch ==> Brockovich comes to Hinkley's assistance again

[Maureen Reilly]

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Brockovich comes to Hinkley's assistance again
By AARON AUPPERLEE/Staff Writer Desert Dispatch

Erin Brockovich does not want to smell someone else’s waste. She bets 
Hinkley does not want to, either.


The famed consumer advocate, who helped Hinkley residents fight Pacific Gas 
& Electric Co. in the 1990s, has decided to join Hinkley’s latest battle 
against a proposed Nursery Products composting site.

“There’s a perception that Hinkley is a little desert community who doesn’t 
care,” Brockovich said. “It is a community that truly does care.”

Brockovich said she will attend Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting and 
might speak on Hinkley’s behalf.

Brockovich has already arranged buses to bring concerned Hinkley and area 
residents to the Supervisors meeting in San Bernardino. At the meeting, the 
board will consider an appeal made by concerned environmental groups and 
Hinkley residents after the county Planning Commission approved a 
conditional-use permit for the Nursery Products facility on Nov. 30.

Nursery Products wants to build a bio-waste and green material composting 
facility on 160 acres about eight miles away from Hinkley. The facility 
would compost human waste and other materials into a sludge used for 
fertilizer.

Brian Lochrie, a spokesperson for Nursery Products, said there still is a 
lot of misinformation about the project and the product.

“I don’t think her being involved changes the science,” Lochrie said. “I 
think if she is informed about the project, she’ll support it because the 
science says it’s a safe product.”

The company began looking for another composting site after citizens of 
Adelanto, complaining of the stink and flies, ran them out last year.

In case the board denies the appeal on Tuesday, Brockovich has already 
talked to lawyers about pursuing the issue in court under state 
environmental law.

Local activist Norman Diaz is thrilled to have Brockovich on board. He said 
the town of Hinkley and Brockovich have a legacy together after fighting 
PG&E.

“The timing could not have been better for us,” he said. “She’s a strong 
advocate who can get us the media attention we’ve not been able to get.”

Within days of Brockovich agreeing to help, Diaz said other environmental 
groups, politicians and media outlets started showing interest. On Monday, 
Brockovich is scheduled to appear on the Barbara Stanton Show on Talk 960 
AM.