Two recent items on the last agenda of the California Integrated Waste Management Board lay down the law for "local enforcement agencies", the LEAs that are supposed to carry out state solid waste enforcement and permitting, but often chart their own course due to conflicts of interest, ineptitude or simple sloth... Apparently the City of Los Angeles LEA was told by the state board that a transfer station needed a new solid waste facility permit by the Board, and was told so repeatedly. But the LEA was blowing off the Board. So the Board is set to take over the LEA's functions... The other item had to do with new regulations implementing AB 1497 by Assemblymember Montenez. After a very long time coming, the Board has approved the regulations for submittal to the Office of Administrative Law. The new regs require stricter oversight of any potential changes to the operation of a landfill or other solid waste facility, defining the changes that would be necessary or not for a solid waste facility permit. An important reform in assuring that underground permitting is not allowed by the LEAs is the bolstered notice requirements of applications for changes in the permits. Now the public, especially those living around solid waste facilities, will have an opportunity to know and react to potentially significant changes like greater traffic and higher volumes into a facility...