California’s largest landfill is about to become a massive park
California’s Wildlife Conservation Board recently awarded a $12.5 million grant to help convert a massive landfill into Los Angeles County’s first new regional park in three decades.
The Puente Hills Landfill, located near the 605 Freeway and Highway 60 interchange, operated for nearly 60 years and was the largest landfill in California and the second-largest in the nation.
It contained 150 million tons of trash when it was decommissioned in 2013.
Before the area was a landfill, it supported a thriving ecosystem that officials now hope can be restored. The WCB grant, along with other regional funding, will help convert a 142-acre section of the property into Puente Hills Regional Park.
“Restoration of the site will include the establishment of native plant communities which will address the critical issues of habitat degradation, loss of biodiversity, disrupted habitat connectivity, and the unmet needs for accessible open space,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
Local officials had previously secured more than $100 million in funding. The project is expected to cost $200 million.
Norma E. Garcia-Gonzalez, the director of L.A. County’s Department of Parks and Recreation, says the park will become a place for “healing, restoration, and regeneration.”
“The park will be the outcome of the most robust community engagement process we’ve ever done. The resulting native landscapes and spectacular views will serve millions in the greater Los Angeles region for generations to come,” Garcia-Gonzalez said.
The county hopes the park’s first phase will be completed by the fall of 2026.
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