Stephen Jackson speaks on pollution at 5-25-21 BOS

BoS Public Comment: Stephen Jackson, Dated: May 19, 2021
Public Comment 6.0
I am here to call your attention to another major pollution event within District 4; to shine a light upon govt abuse against its citizens; and, to highlight how our government agents are willing to violate the law to keep their actions hidden from the very public they serve.
Butte County’s official website is titled “a land of natural wealth and beauty.” The local air district’s role is ...”to protect the people and the environment of Butte County from the harmful effects of air pollution.”
On Friday, May 21, 2021, I emailed each member of this board, a 17-page public document that I submitted to the air district 15 months ago. I am requesting this document be attached to the public record. I have an additional copy if you need it.
Summarized, these documents show that landfill managers violated their permit by illegally installing six super-polluting discharge wells; also show that these violations were clearly reported to the air district and no action was taken to correct it. When the local air district failed to act, state and federal authorites were contacted. They DID act and found the landfill to be in violation of its permits AND state and federal regulations. The local air district failed miserably to protect the citizens of this county from open discharge of toxic GHG’s. The actual pollution events can be seen as they were documented on YouTube (“Butte County Pollution” channel) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWMqYxy3x_w.
These documents clearly show that the county-appointed air pollution control officer, Stephen Ertle, looked away from the illegally installed (county owned) super-polluting wells, he looked away from their freely venting methane and GHG’s (for months). He looked away from county permit violations, he looked away from county officials that openly violated state and federal regulations. He ignored the very rules his office imposes on the rest of the citizens of this county. Stephen Ertle also kept these publicly reported violations hidden; he kept the complaints about the landfill off the public record. In hiding his inactions from the public, he violated the law. Shortly after his handling of the landfill’s pollution events, this board publicly promoted him...you promoted him for what appears to be his willingness to NOT do his job AND in exchange for him taking no action against this county’s open pollution sources – that is the public perception.
And this is where the abuse of government becomes intolerable. Simultaneous to the landfill discharging its pollutants, a local small business owner one mile from the landfill WAS held to be in violation by the air district. The local air district found this business in violation of a lessor issue but held this business to a much higher standard. The air district attempted to levy a $40,000 fine against this business while doing nothing against the landfill for its open pollution. Where in our Constitution does it say that citizens are held to a higher standard than government itself?
Twice now, I have addressed this board regarding separate, serious pollution violations committed by county landfill managers. Twice now, county officials have broken the law to keep these pollution eventshiddenfromthepublic. Thecitizensofthiscountyaretakingnote.
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BoS Public Comment: Stephen Jackson, Dated: May 19, 2021
We the citizens of Butte County, cannot unsee the abuses to our environment and our citizens. Abuses that were committed by reckless acts of our very own local officials. We will not remain silent for failed leadership and disregard for the laws that protect our communities.
The citizens of Butte County have lost all trust and confidence in Stephen Ertle and we are notifying you that we, the citizens expect his resignation. Stephen Ertle not only failed the citizens of this county; his misconduct should be charged as violations of the law.
This Board promoted Stephen Ertle; at the very time he was miserably failing this county. It is within your power to right this wrong AND it is your responsibility to do so. Will any one of you make a motion to direct staff to place this matter on the public’s agenda so these events can be more closely examined and Mr. Ertle’s public failures can be held to account?
What say you Board of Supervisors...is there a motion by any member of this board, to seek additional information and correct these injustices?