California City Continues Debate Over Auto Shredder

The Planning Commission approved the project last month, but resident Jesse Vasquez and Colton Iron and Metal, which operates a recycling yard across from auto-shredder applicant Pacific Rail, appealed the decision.

Hundreds of people flooded City Hall, lining the walls and spilling by the scores into the hallway to repeat arguments made at the three public hearings held by the commission since April. No decision had been made at press time, and not all of the public comments had been heard.

Pacific Rail President Charles B. Siroonian repeated his Oct. 12 presentation to the commission at the council meeting. He rejected opponents' claims that the project would pollute Colton. An environmental impact report found no negative consequences.

Colton Iron contended, and has for months, that the environmental review was "fatally flawed.'

"Colton Iron does this to stop competition for their own shredder,' Siroonian told the council.

Colton Iron, whose parent company, Hugo Neu-Proler, owns a similar auto shredder at the Port of Los Angeles, has long opposed plans to bring a shredder to Colton. The company sued the city 32 months ago when the project was approved without an environmental review.

Hugo Neu-Proler also owns 40 acres of vacant land adjacent to Colton Iron, which it hopes to develop for light-industrial or mixed use. A shredder nearby would prevent such development, said John Bowman, attorney for the metal-recycling giant.

The area is zoned for heavy industrial.

The project's approval would allow Pacific Rail to transport 680 tons of automobiles and rail cars between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The shredder would be stored in a 30-foot-high by 250-foot-long container designed to prevent pollution car fluff from escaping the 100-acre site.

Siroonian has promised that the switches, which could pollute the nearby Santa Ana River, will be removed before the cars are delivered to the site.

Vasquez, calling the auto shredder "the most critical project to come before the council in 100 years,' implored the local representatives "to oppose the environmental calamity.'

He said he was most concerned with how the shredder would affect the county regional park that is to be built nearby along the Santa Ana River.

Pacific Rail has amended its project to be more environmentally safe, said David Zamora, community development director.

The shredder would bring to Colton 40 jobs and use about $1 million annually in city-owned electricity. Siroonian said he would give employment preference to Colton residents.  San Bernadino Sun