"Mecca's Misery: 'Unbearable' Stench Overwhelms Desert Town"

A recycling facility for contaminated soils and other hazardous waste in the California desert community of Mecca is causing major problems. The problems are made worse by the fact that the facility is on tribal land, making state and federal regulation more difficult.

"In January 2009, Riverside County fire Capt. Robert Fish ventured to the scrubby desert outpost of Mecca to check on the busy contaminated-soil recycling plant there.

He found something unusual, worrying enough to alert his superiors.

'While there I observed a number of oil-laden ‘lakes,'' Fish recounted in a department email after his visit to Western Environmental, Inc., located on land owned by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.

'One held at least 10,000 gallons. It was only contained by earth berms.'

The pools were 'clearly improvised' and seeping past the berms, which were unlined."

Marcel Honoré reports for the Palm Springs Desert Sun March 25, 2012.

SEE ALSO:

"Sovereignty Key Issue as Tribes Go Into Landfill Business" (Palm Springs Desert Sun)

"Mecca's Misery, Chapter 1: Saul Martinez Elementary School" (Palm Springs Desert Sun)

"Mecca's Misery, Chapter 2: Cabazon Band of Mission Indians" (Palm Srings Desert Sun)

"Western Environmental Hazardous Waste Database" (Palm Springs Desert Sun)

Related Strories (Via Environmental Health News)