LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis on Tuesday introduced a motion directing County departments to develop an economic opportunity plan for the Environmental Justice Center (EJC), currently under construction as part of Phase 1 of the 140-acre Puente Hills Regional Park. The park will transform the site of what was once the largest active landfill west of the Mississippi River into a major destination for recreation, education and community connection. 

The EJC is being built on the site of the former Puente Hills Landfill, once the largest operating landfill in the nation, rising 500 feet high and covering 700 acres. From 1957 to 2013, more than 150 million tons of waste were compacted on the site in the San Gabriel Valley. 

“Having grown up near the landfill, I know how vital it is to turn past environmental harms into opportunities for our community,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “With this motion’s passage, we are paving the way for the Environmental Justice Center to become a powerful engine for green economy workforce development, providing education, training and career pathways that will create good jobs while protecting our planet.” 

During its operation, the Puente Hills Landfill implemented some environmental practices such as generating electricity from landfill gas and managing recycling programs. However, local immigrant and working-class communities endured decades of negative impacts, including odors and heavy truck traffic. 

In 1994, then-Assemblymember Solis authored AB 2632, which led to the landfill’s closure and the eventual conversion of the site into permanent open space and parkland. 

The landfill closed in 2013 after more than 50 years of operation. In 2014, Chair Pro Tem Solis was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and began working with County departments and local agencies to bring the Puente Hills Park Master Plan to life. Following years of planning and coordination, a final agreement was reached in 2016 to move forward with construction after extensive community input. The park will be the first new County regional park in over 35 years. 

Phase 1 will include:  

  • Environmental Justice Center   
  • Park entry plaza   
  • Workman Mill Road trailhead and staging area   
  • Amphitheater for community performances   
  • Nature Play Zone   
  • Arts plaza   
  • Dog park   
  • Playgrounds   
  • Restrooms, parking, trails, and native landscaping 

The EJC is a LEED-certified, Net Zero facility that recently received a California Green Building Award. It will serve as a museum, learning center and workforce development hub focused on environmental justice, sustainability and climate resilience. 

The center will offer classrooms, a lecture hall, a maker’s space and interactive exhibits, including a birds of prey exhibit. Programming will provide science education for children, as well as career exposure, training and paid work experiences for youth, transitional aged youth and adults interested in clean energy, environmental health, water conservation and the arts. 

Under the motion, the Department of Economic Opportunity will partner with the Department of Parks and Recreation and other County agencies to produce a report within 120 days outlining a plan for green economy programming at the EJC. The plan will include funding strategies such as Measure W and recommendations for County and external partnerships to support workforce development. 

The motion also directs the Department of Parks and Recreation to coordinate with the Chief Executive Office, the Department of Public Works, the Sheriff’s Department and County Counsel to address management, operational and security needs for the park and facilities. 

“This is a historic moment after more than 30 years of advocacy and planning,” added Chair Pro Tem Solis. “We are turning a former landfill into a thriving center for community empowerment and environmental justice.” 

Phase 1 of Puente Hills Regional Park is expected to be completed by fall 2026.