The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments is asking the county to keep the Puente Hills Landfill open long after its scheduled closure next fall.

In a surprise move, the COG drafted a letter to the five county supervisors asking them to extend the landfill permit for five more years, until Oct. 31, 2018. Keeping the landfill open longer will help keep down trash rates paid by homeowners, according to an accompanying memo.

Almost immediately, the COG request elicited strong objections from the unincorporated community of Hacienda Heights, which is located adjacent to the landfill – the largest in the nation.

Read more in Steve Scauzillo’s story LANDFILL.