"At the doorstep to the largest hazardous waste landfill in the West, Kettleman City has some of California's biggest pollution burdens, the state Environmental Protection Agency says."

"Yet a different state agency is poised to allow expansion of the hazardous waste landfill 3.5 miles west of town — a move local activists say they will fight to the end.

The residents belonging to People for Clean Air and Water say they believe they've found support in the EPA's new health-screening tool, which ranks pollution burden statewide. Kettleman City is among the worst 10%.

EPA has said the tool is not intended to be used to settle such arguments, but the activists are looking for any help they can get. This is a high-stakes fight against well-prepared state bureaucrats and a corporate giant — landfill owner Waste Management Inc.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/07/20/3397933/kettleman-toxic-landfill-fig... [2]

Mark Grossi reports for the Fresno Bee July 20, 2013. [3]