landfill-republicRepublic Services, Inc., (formerly BFI) Sunshine Canyon Landfill, Sylmar, CA

JMA has provided archaeological and paleontological services on this project from its conception in 1980 to the present. JMA prepared paleontological and cultural resources segments of three different EIRs for this project, including the Los Angeles City Landfill expansion from the County of Los Angeles Landfill. Over the course of the project our paleontological field staff recovered fossil whale, sea lion, dolphin, shark, and fish as well as mollusks and leaves. Our field monitors identified numerous fossil localities the Towsley Formation, characterized as a deep-water marine turbidite deposit. A majority of the fossils recovered from the Towsley Formation have come from Sunshine Canyon.

Our archaeological field staff recorded a number of pre-historic archaeological sites including one small village and several seasonal hunter-gatherer sites. Project archaeologists recovered abundant groundstone artifacts, scrapers, projectile points, fire affected rock (FAR), fire hearths, and chipped stone debitage.

In 2004 JMA’s services were expanded to full service natural resource services including: construction biological, paleontological and archaeological mitigation monitoring services; CEQA compliance management; project management and coordination; monthly, semi-annual and final project reports for each phase; pre-construction biological, paleontological and archaeological surveys for the landfill extension and expansion; and SWPPP/BMP management and inspection.

In 2010 JMA provided air quality monitoring services for Sunshine Canyon. A crew of air quality monitors conducted in-field odor monitoring and testing of the active landfill workface, transfer trucks, and the surrounding neighborhood. This effort was performed with coordination of landfill operations and public relations staff, and in compliance with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Our services at Sunshine Canyon have involved close and effective coordination with Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USF&W), California Department of Fish and Game (CDF&G), Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (SCAQMD), and both the City and County of Los Angeles.