Wildfire Contamination Testing Bill AB 1642 Advances
AB 1642 just cleared the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. Our community was in that room — and the committee voted yes.
This bill, authored by Assemblymember Harabedian, would establish the first statewide standards for testing and clearing lead, asbestos, and toxic wildfire chemicals inside and outside of standing homes, schools, and workplaces after a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire. Right now, no such standards exist anywhere in California law.
EFRU submitted testimony citing our own data: 6 out of 10 homes that have been professionally remediated are still not habitable due to lead and/or asbestos. Families moved back in. Children on contaminated floors. And no legal standard to hold anyone accountable.
Today, that started to change.
Thank you to @Assemblymember Harabedian and every supporter who signed on — more than 80 organizations and 600 individuals. This is what community-powered science looks like.