The plans of BG (R) James Combs, of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, to run a composting operation on the base continue to create controversy among residents of Seal Beach, Rossmoor, and Los Alamitos. The plan ignited a firestorm of complaints from residents of College Park East at the Seal Beach City Council meeting on May 11. Last night, General Combs gave another presentation, complete with a tour of the composting site on the base. The plan he described last night varied in some significant details from the presentation at the Seal Beach city council meeting.

AT the May 11 meeting, General Combs gave the impression the green waste he wants to bring on to the base for his composting operation would come from Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. But, this is not true. Combs said they would be bringing in 12 to 15 large trucks of green waste per day. According to Gregg Smith, the Public Affairs Officer at the Navy base, they do not generate anything close to that amount of green waste and he indicated the Navy base was not the source of the green waste for the composting project. Last night General Combs made it clear that the waste would be coming from Rainbow Disposal Company, a waste management company in Huntington Beach.

The General also indicated at the Seal Beach meeting that he would provide the environmental impact studies and cooperate with the surrounding cities. But, according to Seal Beach Councilman Gary Miller, not only has the base not provided the environmental impact reports, but the base is requiring the cities request the environmental information through the Freedom of Information Act. At last night's meeting, General Combs indicated the environmental information was available at the meeting for representatives of Los Alamitos and Seal Beach to take with them.

Also at the previous Seal Beach meeting, General Combs indicated that Caltrans had approved using Lampson for the trucks to enter the base. Seal Beach City Councilman Gary Miller told the General in the meeting that Caltrans denied issuing any such approval and that they did not have authority over Lampson. General Combs continued to insist that he had received Caltrans approval. Miller shared with your Editors the response he received from Caltrans. It reads in part "Caltrans' Office of Truck Services has no authority to issue permits for extra legal load trucks on city streets; only for State highways and ON/OFF ramps from highways...the street of Lampson Avenue does not fall within our jurisdiction.  The City of Seal Beach would be responsible to issue such a permit for extra legal load trucks on Lampson Avenue.  The definition of an extra legal load truck is if the dimensions of the truck exceed 8.5' width x 14' height x 75' length. I also researched our Encroachment Permits office and it has no record of a request for a permit from the Base.  In addition, our Planning Division's Intergovernmental Review Unit has not received nor reviewed any CEQA documents for this project." The letter is signed by Tracey Lavelle, Office Chief, Public Information/Governmental Affairs/EEO, Caltrans - District 12 Orange County.

General combs previously indicated that his goal was to expand the project after a successful pilot. Some residents interpreted this to suggest the possibility that the number of trucks could eventually exceed the 12 to 15 trucks per day. General Combs stated unequivocally that the number of trucks would not exceed 12 per day. This assertion, however was met with some skepticism from the audience.

Even if the limit of 12 trucks per day is adhered to, the residents of College Park East are concerned about the negative affect of routing that traffic through Lampson and Arbor Park. At the presentation last night, General Combs indicated the traffic might be spread over different routs and non-peak times to minimize the impact on College Park East.

Throughout these discussions, General combs has stated repeatedly that his goal is to work collaboratively with local residents and governments. However, when questioned by your Editors about the objections of the College Park East residents to a Lampson truck route, He said "I can't operate the base if I can't use Lampson." He continued "At the end of the day, I may have to tell you {the College Park East residents} that you will suffer for the good of the whole."

So, where's the good news in all this for College Park East?--The compost really does not smell bad. General combs told the audience that the compost smelled like hay or cut grass. After the formal presentation, we were bused across the base to the compositing site. Much to our surprise, the stuff really did not smell bad at all. College Park East residents may very well have to endure some additional truck traffic, but a nasty stench does not seem to be likely.