News release
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved the Altadena Soil Remediation Program, a new effort championed by Supervisor Kathryn Barger to help Eaton Fire survivors remediate lead-contaminated soil on their properties, said a news release from Barger’s office.
Barger’s $1 million allocation will be combined with $2 million from the 2025-2026 State Budget to ultimately create a $3 million program prioritizing remediation assistance for households with standing homes where pregnant women or children under age 6 reside, given the heightened health risks lead exposure poses to these populations, the release said.
“Families whose homes survived the Eaton Fire have faced obstacle after obstacle,” Barger said in the release issued after the July 21 approval. “Many Altadena residents have spent months waiting for answers while insurance companies have fallen short of meeting survivors’ legitimate needs. Today’s action is an important step forward to help residents safely restore their properties and move on with rebuilding their lives.”
The board’s action authorizes the Los Angeles County Development Authority to administer the program and carry out remediation projects using an existing board-approved contracting mechanism.
The program will fund enrollment, administration, and remediation of lead-contaminated soil on properties affected by the Eaton Fire. The funding will have no impact on the county’s General Fund, as it comes from Barger’s 5th District allocation within the county’s Climate Equity Account.
The program is expected to launch this fall. LACDA will partner with the Community-Oriented Network for Scientific Observation, Recovery, and Tracking of Impacts from Urban Megafires (CONSORTIUM) — an interdisciplinary collaboration that has led soil testing, scientific research, and community outreach in the wake of the Eaton Fire, the release said.
In coordination with the Department of Angels and the Altadena Recovery and Rebuild Corporation, CONSORTIUM members CAP.LA, USC CLEAN, and the LA Fire HEALTH Study will help inform implementation and community engagement to ensure residents receive the resources and technical support needed to safely recover, according to the release.
