Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced Thursday that the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 409, which would strengthen penalties and enforcement of existing laws against illegal dumping, officials said.

SB 409 seeks to reduce unlawful dumping by increasing penalties and requiring that property owners obtain state and local permits prior to allowing dumping on their property, according to Wilk’s office.

“Illegal dumping is bad for the environment, bad for our communities and can be dangerous,” said Wilk. “SB 409 will make it more expensive to violate the law and holds violators, on all levels, responsible.”

The bill is also set to hold truckers responsible for transporting waste for unlawful dumping, and expands the agencies authorized to declare a property a nuisance due to unlawfully dumped waste, according to officials.

Between January and March 2017, 89 Antelope Valley properties had a notice of building code violation recorded by the Department of Public Works, officials said.

Each of these properties had dumping of waste exceeding 50 cubic yards.

“The High Desert and other rural communities in California have become the de facto dumping ground for people trying to cut corners and save a buck on properly disposing of waste,” said Wilk. “I understand fees are high for legal dumping — and that is an issue — but at the end of the day, families living in rural California should not have to clean up the rest of the state’s trash.”

The measure received support from The California Association of Professional Scientists, the state’s employed scientists responsible for protecting the public, wildlife and natural resources from waste and pollution.

SB 409 is now scheduled to go to the Assembly for a vote before being considered by the governor to be signed into law.

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