Proposed law would give relief to residents whose neighborhood is covered in thick layers of grime: 'You could literally taste it'

Sun Valley residents have watched dust settle over their streets, their cars, and even the air they breathe for years. Thick layers of grime coat the neighborhood, kicked up by nearby industrial sites that process and store construction materials like concrete and asphalt. Complaints have piled up just as high as the dust, but little has changed — until now.

State Senator Caroline Menjivar has introduced Senate Bill (SB) 526, pushing for stricter regulations on aggregate facilities so that neighborhoods can breathe easier, according to the San Fernando Valley Sun.

"With each complaint having gone unresolved, residents have given up on hoping the government addresses their concerns," said Menjivar. "That ends today."

These facilities release fine dust particles known as PM10, which can seep into homes, settle on playgrounds, and cause serious respiratory issues. Yet, the regulations meant to keep them in check haven't been updated since 2006.

If passed, SB 526 would strengthen oversight and force these businesses to take real steps to control pollution. Facilities would need to install taller fencing to keep dust from escaping, limit the height of storage piles near homes and schools, and set up air quality monitoring systems at their boundaries. If they repeatedly exceed pollution limits, they'd be required to enclose their storage piles and undergo frequent inspections until they comply.

Sun Valley is home to 11 aggregate facilities within a three-mile radius, including AMH Recycling, the largest in the San Fernando Valley, which sits directly across from homes, a park, and two elementary schools. Residents say the pollution is impossible to ignore.

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"Residents' cars were covered in a dust so thick you could literally taste it, and yet neighborhood kids were playing soccer in a park across the street from the facility," said Ian Bertrando, a UCLA law student who did research in the area.

According to Mariam Moore, CEO of The Climate Corps Initiative, the "intrusion of industrial facilities" in Sun Valley has worsened the community's public health crisis. Long-term exposure to this type of pollution can lead to asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, and other serious health problems.

Menjivar made it clear that the bill isn't about shutting down the industry but about forcing it to operate responsibly. "I'm not trying to get rid of them," she said. "But they need to be top-notch neighbors."

The bill is advancing with a window for amendments, and Menjivar's team is focused on rallying support from community members and environmental justice groups. If passed, it could set a precedent for other communities facing similar environmental injustices, proving that residents don't have to accept pollution as an unavoidable part of life.