Editing Westley, California (section)

==History==

===The Oxford Tire Pile===
[[Oxford Energy (USA energy firm)|Oxford Energy]] had a major stake in a large local scrap tire pile operation.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-apr-16-tm-photosynthesis16-story.html|title=Oxford Tire Pile #8, Westley, California|first=Colin|last=Westerbeck|date=16 April 2006|via=LA Times}}</ref><ref name="discardstudies.com">{{cite web|url=https://discardstudies.com/2011/11/28/terribly-charasmatic-piles-of-tires/|title=Terribly charismatic piles of tires|date=28 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/2003689070/|title=Oxford tire pile #7, Westley, California}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/objects/2010.84.62|title=Oxford Tire Pile #1, Westley California - Hood Museum|website=hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/projects/photographs/oil|title=Oil|website=Edward Burtynsky}}</ref> When it mostly burnt down in 1997, it was the largest single collection of waste tires on the west coast.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="discardstudies.com"/>

Filbin had begun trucking used tires into Ed's Tire Disposal even before the construction of [[Interstate 5|I-5]] between 1956 and 1979.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-30-mn-16908-story.html|title=Massive Pile of Tires Fuels Controversial Energy Plan|first=Ronald B.|last=Taylor|date=30 November 1987|via=[[LA Times]]}}</ref> Oxford Energy had been dumping near Westley in various piles since the 1950s.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="discardstudies.com"/>

Oxford Energy officials heard about it causing an [[eyesore]] and [[environmental blight]] and in 1984 approached both Filbin and the county, proposing the tire-to-energy project. However, it was turned down on [[environmental grounds]].<ref name="auto2"/>

About 10,000-20,000 tires were being dumped there each day in 1957. It was under a 24-hour security guard.<ref name="auto2"/>

Some 40 years later the dump had grown to about 6,000,000 tires. In 1997, the state stepped in under a [[special local legislative mandate]] to dispose of them.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="discardstudies.com"/>

Shortly after a local photographer, Mr Burtynsky, had photographed Oxford Pile #8, a [[lightning]] strike in the facility started a fire that took weeks to extinguish.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="discardstudies.com"/>