The LANCER PROJECT was to be built in a vacant lot, near Jefferson High School and a public recreation center in a residential area of 16,000 people. LANCER was estimated to cost $170 million to construct. According to The Los Angeles Times, the facility would employ highly trained and specialized personnel that would mostly live outside of the community so its construction would not provide jobs for those living near LANCER.

The waste facility would burn millions of tons of waste during its operation, exacerbating the community’s already significant environmental and health challenges. CCSCLA members believed South Central Los Angeles was chosen for the incinerator because of its high unemployment rate, low average income, and high concentration of people of color.

Community members were especially concerned about the community’s inability to address additional health challenges due to the cost and accessibility of the current healthcare system, with conditions such as asthma, influenza, cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia already widespread.

In June 1987, Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley announced that the LANCER project would not be completed.

After defeating the LANCER project, CCSCLA members realized that there is more to the environment than just hazardous waste, chemicals, and air quality. Our environment includes our housing stock, the conditions of our schools and the safety of our neighborhoods.

CCSCLA continued to work on environmental issues such as recycling, the cleaning of alleyways and repairing roads, childhood lead poisoning prevention, storm drain protection, used motor oil recycling, teen worker rights, among others affecting community members' quality of life. ​ CCSCLA conducted further environmental awareness workshops within communities as the need and topics for them presented themselves.

At its heart, CCSCLA is an environmental justice organization where justice is pursued in every area of community life.