A composting recycling facility near Lamont where two brothers died last year has filed a damage claim against the county. According to The Bakersfield Californian, Community Recycling filed the claim on November 14th.
The claim is typically the first step in filing a lawsuit. It names all five county supervisors and two county staff members, claiming the board unfairly denied the company a right to operate.
The case stems from an accident that happened at Community Recycling in October 2011. Armando Ramirez, 16, and his brother, Eladio, were killed by toxic fumes while working on a drainage canals.
One month after their deaths, county supervisors ordered the facility be shut down and fined the company but, in February, a judge said the facility could temporarily stay open to deal with waste water. Cal/OSHA also issued the facility 13 citations totaling more than 160 thousand dollars.
The case is scheduled to go trial next year where a judge will decide whether the plant can stay open.
