In a surprising move, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that it will not conduct soil testing at properties damaged by the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles County after cleanup efforts are completed. This decision breaks with a long-standing practice of ensuring that no hazardous contamination remains on fire-devastated properties. The Army Corps believes that removing six inches of topsoil is sufficient to eliminate hazardous pollutants, a stance that has raised concerns among local officials and environmental advocates.
Federal and state agencies have traditionally called for soil sampling after major wildfires in California to verify that toxic chemicals are below state standards. However, Army Corps officials say that such testing was not authorized in this disaster response. Col. Eric Swenson explained that the Army Corps must adhere to specific guidelines set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which limits their scope of work.
The decision has left Los Angeles County officials scrambling to address the potential risks. Kathryn Barger, chair of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, expressed concern and indicated that discussions would be held to address the issue. Without federal soil testing, the burden may shift to homeowners, businesses, and school districts to fund their own testing and potentially remove more contaminated soil.
Critics argue that this approach could leave properties contaminated, posing health risks, especially to vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, stated that the lack of testing suggests a willingness to leave people at risk.
Historical data supports these concerns. During the cleanup of the 2018 Camp fire in Northern California, nearly a third of properties still had toxic chemicals above state standards after initial topsoil removal. This led to multiple excavations to meet cleanup standards.
As the cleanup continues in L.A. County, officials are working with federal, state, and academic institutions to better understand the composition of wildfire ash. However, without comprehensive soil testing, the Army Corps will not return to conduct additional soil removal in the affected areas.
Source:
Tony Briscoe Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-02-12/feds-wont-test-soil-after-wildfire-cleanup-potentially-leaving-contamination-behind
Image Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times