{"id":34108,"date":"2026-08-09T07:06:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T02:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=34108"},"modified":"2026-08-09T07:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T02:06:35","slug":"lineage-says-it-will-spend-up-to-100-million-on-boyle-heights-cleanup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=34108","title":{"rendered":"Lineage says it will spend up to $100 million on Boyle Heights cleanup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-element=\"story-body\" data-subscriber-content=\"\">\n<p>As air quality regulators press for legal action against the operator of a cold storage warehouse that burned in Boyle Heights, Lineage officials say they expect to spend $80 million to $100 million to clean up the site, which contains millions of pounds of rotting meat and has generated thousands of odor complaints. <\/p>\n<p>Lineage officials released their cost estimate for cleanup hours before they were scheduled to appear before the South Coast Air Quality Management District Hearing Board on Wednesday. Among other actions, the board was set to consider demands for a legal order against Lineage that would compel the company to take dozens of additional steps to mitigate the stench and vermin that have been attracted to the site.<\/p>\n<p>Since Lineage\u2019s 500,000-square-foot warehouse caught fire June 17, the <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aqmd.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">South Coast Air Quality Management District<\/a> has received more than 4,000 odor complaints and has issued Lineage at least 20 violation notices for public nuisance. <\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, air district attorneys petitioned the agency\u2019s five-member hearing board to approve more than 80 new requirements related to ongoing remediation. Local regulators are calling for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rte2-style-ul\">\n<li>The removal of at least 8.8 million pounds of food waste each week<\/li>\n<li>Waste to be loaded only through the south loading dock, which is farthest from homes<\/li>\n<li>The operation of an odor-neutralizing misting system around the warehouse and any openings<\/li>\n<li> A plan for wastewater collection and storage<\/li>\n<li> A public notification system to update residents on the cleanup progress and activities that could result in an increase in odors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More than 100 people filled the auditorium at the air district\u2019s headquarters in Diamond Bar to call on the hearing board to adopt these measures and help alleviate the nauseating smells. Residents from across southeast Los Angeles County said they have been sickened by the constant odor of rotting food.<\/p>\n<p>Tiff Sanchez, an organizer with <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/eycej.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice<\/a>, called the fire\u2019s aftermath \u201ca public health catastrophe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am here to support the abatement orders and to ask AQMD to strengthen them \u2014 not temporarily but permanently,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cThat way, we make sure that Lineage is held accountable &#8230; for this disaster that they created.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/32254f2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/425b3d8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/cfa4714\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2f5b7de\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/1024x683!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d45d5a1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"An aerial view of a destroyed warehouse facility.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/1cba6fc\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3afb9d1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/007c477\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/23407e6\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/1024x683!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/87d1167\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/87d1167\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6144x4096+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F9c%2F5cfaa30a45599d7c29d45bb1c0eb%2F1564999-me-boyle-heights-rally-ajs-04.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>An aerial view of workers at the destroyed Lineage cold storage facility in Boyle Heights. <\/p>\n<p>(Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delivered remarks via video call to support newly proposed cleanup mandates. Bass acknowledged that foul odors and <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2026-07-23\/lineage-warehouse-boyle-heights-conditions\">pest infestations continue to plague residents<\/a>, and said she was most concerned for Los Angeles students returning to school next week. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s be clear: What the residents of Boyle Heights are facing is not just a nuisance but it is a public health crisis that requires urgent and actionable measures. I\u2019ve been on the ground in the community every few days and speaking directly with the residents each week since the fire began. I\u2019ve experienced firsthand the impact that this has had on families and the smells, and I have to admit it\u2019s unlike anything I\u2019ve ever experienced,\u201d Bass said.<\/p>\n<p>Since the fire was extinguished, Lineage has been tasked with removing roughly 88 million pounds of spoiled and decomposing food, along with fire and demolition debris. Company officials said they remain \u201ccommitted to the fastest remediation possible,\u201d estimating that the cleanup was about 80% complete.<\/p>\n<p>Lineage has already deployed odor-control spray systems, industrial air scrubbers and fly and rodent traps.<\/p>\n<p>Food waste has been hauled to at least four landfills, including Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center in Ventura County and El Sobrante Landfill in Riverside County.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of the meeting, Robert Pearman, vice chair of the agency\u2019s hearing board, told the community members that no one \u2014 not even Lineage officials \u2014 disputes the severity of the noxious odors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know that the odor issue is so prevalent here that [Lineage representatives] in their response have already stated that they are aware of the serious odor concerns following the fire at the facility,\u201d Pearman said. \u201cAnd they do not deny they\u2019ve been issued a number of notices of violation for odor nuisance.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/395698d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/74560d2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/b17960c\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/23cbeb8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1024x683!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/ac04b4e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"A hearing board listens to public comment.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/da2ab43\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/f7ff38b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/7b17eb8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d66b136\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1024x683!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/fcbe301\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/fcbe301\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1200x800!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2F2f%2Fa8b2547d4cdcb25697ecc015e7d4%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-8-gmf.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>Members of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Hearing Board listen to public comment Wednesday on the Lineage cold storage facility fire in Boyle Heights.<\/p>\n<p>(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Bella Hernandez, a 16-year-old high school senior, told the hearing board that she spent her summer break surveying neighbors about health issues they suspect are related to the smoke and odors. With the situation unresolved, she\u2019s worried about the start of classes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery single person I asked said that they were sick, or that they have been impacted negatively,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cThey tell me about how the chemicals make their eyes and their lungs burn. They tell me about how they can\u2019t go outside and they can\u2019t sleep properly. These symptoms are just the beginning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe deserve clean air and a safe place to live,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe aren\u2019t asking Lineage to turn our community into the next Beverly Hills. We\u2019re asking them to stop slowly killing us for an extra buck.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As air quality regulators press for legal action against the operator of a cold storage warehouse that burned in Boyle Heights, Lineage officials say they expect to spend $80 million to $100 million to clean up the site, which contains millions of pounds of rotting meat and has generated thousands of odor complaints. Lineage officials&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/43a3ee4\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5395x2832+0+382\/resize\/1200x630!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2Fb5%2Ff3ca73bc484ea2c67f967021d8b2%2F1565536-me-lineage-odor-complaints-air-violations-5-gmf.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}