The U.S. Army Corps, which has been outsourcing the federal clean up following the Altadena and Palisades fires, has announced that they will not be testing the soil after debris removal.
Testing has historically been part of wildfire toxic ash and rubble cleanup.
However, now they are instead stating that their removal of 6 inches of topsoil is sufficient.
We know, from past wildfire testing, that is often not true at all.
After the 2018 Camp fire, a third of the properties “cleaned” required additional soil removal. Some needed 3 or 4 repeat return removals.
A consumer soil test kit can run upwards of $1000, and most people need multiple tests. This cost is now being pushed onto the returning residents.
Simultaneously, LA County is fast-tracking building permits to rebuild.
The common denominator here is capitalist greed, which places profit over lives every single time.
Knowing they are intentionally omitting testing is deeply unsettling. The city and government are being alleviated from responsibility and any aftermath of debris removal.
Having a livable level of soil is not only necessary for those hoping to return and rebuild, it impacts the entire city. Everything that is planted, built, and passed through is affected.
Don’t trust capitalism. Support and share resources. We already know we must take care of each other.
Land is water is air is life.
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