Last week’s release of the draft environmental impact report for the proposed expansion of the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center wasn’t met with the fervor we expected.

Maybe it’s because nobody could have read the entire document yet. At 570 pages and more than 2,000 appendices, it’s a ton of material, even for the most environmentally conscientious citizen.

Or maybe it’s because some folks didn’t grasp the significance of the document and, more importantly, the fact that public response is solicited and needed .

The release of the draft report, which details the many impacts of Waste Management’s plans to triple the size of the landfill and double its daily trash intake, triggers a process by which citizens can ask questions and express their concerns.

Throughout October, the city’s four Neighborhood Councils will meet to discuss the EIR. Rather than trying to digest the enormous document yourself, just attend one of these meetings and hear what the professionals at city hall have to say about the document and the proposal. Waste Management is also holding informational meetings of their own.

The more people who attend these meetings, the more the county Board of Supervisors will realize the importance of the issue to residents of Simi Valley, despite it supposedly being just a “county” issue. The public’s comments will be just one of many factors the board will consider when making its final decision, and if people show up in large numbers at the hearings, board members will know that the city of Simi Valley and its residents are watching them very closely.

To see a schedule of upcoming Neighborhood Council meetings, go to www.simivalley.org.

To provide feedback regarding the final report, which can be read online, written comments must be sent no later than 5 p.m. Wed., Nov. 11 to case planner Becky Linder, Ventura County Resource Management Agency, Planning Division, 800 S. Victoria Ave., No. 1740, Ventura, CA 93009-1740.

Comments can also be e-mailed to becky.linder@ventura.org.

The proposed expansion of the landfill weighs heavily on the future of Simi Valley. This is no time for apathy. On this, the 40-year anniversary of Simi’s incorporation, let’s show again the fighting spirit of the original city leaders and take an active role.

The next 40 years are at stake.