PUSD Soil Remediation and Tree-Removal Dispute Escalates

According to the Pasadena Star News, PUSD states the City of Pasadena gave conflicting guidance on whether permits were required to remove protected trees during Eaton Fire soil remediation. The City initially said permits were required, briefly reversed that position on June 12, then reinstated the requirement on June 25 after asking PUSD to halt work determining that the emergency exemption applied only to trees posing an immediate danger. Stop-work notices followed on July 1. Pasadena Now reported Councilmember Rick Cole said PUSD could have sought hardship exemptions and criticized the district for continuing removals after stop-work orders were issued.

Colorado Boulevard and in another report from Pasadena Now relayed on July 16 the PUSD Board unanimously authorized possible litigation over what it called outside interference with campus remediation, although it did not identify a potential defendant. The board held a second vote where it approved Resolution No. 2896, invoking state law to exempt district property from City zoning rules. PUSD said contaminated soil containing lead, arsenic, and other fire-related hazards must be removed before students regain unrestricted access to outdoor spaces. The news outlets report PUSD did not acknowledge the fact that the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control did not claim trees needed to be removed in order to properly remediate soil on school campuses. PUSD Board President Tina Fredericks voted to oppose the exemption, arguing that the district administration should have worked more directly with the City to resolve the dispute.

Alternative DTSC has approved methods to soil recovery outside of excavation. The CA DTSC released soil-recovery guidance for communities affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires that includes phytoremediation, a form of bioremediation that uses plants to remove, stabilize, or reduce contaminants in soil. Dr. Danielle Stevenson has spent more than a decade researching and developing phytoremediation methods and currently serves on DTSC’s Treatment Technology Council. Learn more about Dr. Stevenson and the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation.
Action: PUSD can be contented at communications@pusd.us or 626-396-3600 to make your concerns known.
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