Puente Hills Landfill Park and Environmental Justice Center

Background

In 1970, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts purchased over 1,200 acres of land in the Puente Hills canyons of the San Gabriel Valley to create what would become the Puente Hills Landfill. After years of operation, the landfill closed operations in 2013, and under a 1987 Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the Sanitation Districts and Los Angeles County, as well as Assembly Bill 2632—authored by then-Assemblymember Hilda L. Solis—portions of the site were designated for park and recreation purposes once the landfill closed.

Supervisor Hilda L. Solis has been instrumental in advocating for the development of this park. Growing up in unincorporated La Puente, not far from the landfill, Solis experienced firsthand the environmental challenges faced by the community. As a child, she witnessed garbage trucks driving through her neighborhood, an experience that fueled her lifelong commitment to environmental justice and equity. She vowed to close the landfill and restore the land to benefit future generations.

The Puente Hills Landfill Park is the culmination of Supervisor Solis’ efforts to create a lasting legacy of environmental justice in the San Gabriel Valley. It is the first new regional park in Los Angeles County in more than 35 years, providing recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities to residents in the surrounding communities, including La Puente, Whittier, and other areas of the San Gabriel Valley.

The park’s development is also a significant step forward in the mission to restore degraded land and create green spaces that improve quality of life. The Environmental Justice Center will educate visitors on the history of the Puente Hills landfill and its transformation into a public park, offering programs focused on sustainability, waste management, and ecological conservation.

Supervisor Solis continues to lead the charge to ensure that this project serves as a model of environmental restoration and a source of pride for the community. The park’s completion marks a new chapter in the region’s history, offering a testament to Solis’ dedication to improving the health and well-being of the people she represents.