Trending...
- All Long Beach Open Coastal Swimming Areas Temporarily Closed Due to Local Sewage Spill - 151
- As federal immigration enforcement intensifies, California continues connecting families to protections, deepens new efforts to expand legal capacity - 110
- California mobilizes 112 community organizations to take on the overdose crisis and expand access to care - 108
News
Nov 6, 2026
Governor Newsom announces major cleanup progress in communities impacted by shuttered Exide battery recycling facility in South Los Angeles
What you need to know: Since 2016, California has invested more than $700 million to clean lead-contaminated soil at nearly 6,500 residential parcels and 7,800 parkways near the former Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon, and has finished cleanup at every school, park, and childcare center identified in the affected area.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced major progress in cleaning up lead-contaminated soil in neighborhoods around the former Exide facility in Vernon. As of October 23, California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has cleaned nearly 6,500 residential parcels, about 80% of the roughly 8,000 eligible properties where owners have granted access, and all 7,800 eligible parkways along sidewalks and roads in the surrounding Southeast Los Angeles communities.
DTSC has also cleaned all schools, parks, and childcare centers in the affected area, ensuring the places where kids learn and play are safe. Residential cleanup remains ongoing, with additional properties underway.
Every school, park, and childcare center in the affected area has been cleaned, and nearly 6,500 homes have been made safer. That is real progress for communities that waited far too long for justice. California will keep fighting to do right by the families of Southeast Los Angeles.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Governor Newsom prioritized cleaning up neighborhoods impacted by decades of Exide pollution, investing more than $500 million in one of the largest residential lead cleanups in U.S. history.
California has completed cleanup at:
"Clean air, soil and water should be basic rights. That's why California is committed to cleaning up the decades of pollution left behind by Exide, affecting far too many families and communities," said Secretary for Environmental Protection, Yana Garcia. "The investments made by this administration mean that in Southeast Los Angeles, nearly 6,500 families have cleaner properties, and impacted communities have safer childcare centers, schools and parks where they can safely live, work and play."
"DTSC is delivering real and measurable progress for families living near the former Exide facility," said DTSC Director Katherine Butler. "Every home we clean brings communities closer to the safe, healthy future they deserve after decades of industrial pollution. California remains steadfast in completing this cleanup thoroughly, safely, and with full transparency."
How we got here
The former Exide facility in Vernon, located five miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, operated for decades, recycling lead-acid batteries. In 2002, DTSC required Exide to investigate and clean up releases from its operations. In 2014, testing revealed elevated lead levels in nearby residential soil. In 2015, DTSC ordered Exide to withdraw a pending permit to operate, effectively closing the facility. Cleanup has continued ever since.
More on The Californer
When a federal bankruptcy court later allowed Exide to abandon the site, Governor Newsom condemned the decision, declaring that California would continue fighting to hold Exide and its creditors accountable for poisoning the residential parcels, playgrounds and backyards surrounding the facility.
Since then, California has made sustained investments to accelerate cleanup and protect surrounding communities, including major state funding in 2021 for demolition, site cleanup and residential remediation, additional funding in 2023 for parkway cleanup, and continued funding to clean more contaminated residential parcels. The Newsom administration also took decisive steps to request the addition of the former Exide facility to the federal Superfund National Priorities List that, if successful, would bring additional federal resources to one of the largest contamination cleanups in U.S. history.
Today's progress reflects years of work by the state and community partners to clean contaminated soil, protect families, and address what Governor Newsom has called Exide's "toxic legacy" and a "decades-long injustice."
How the cleanup works
California conducts comprehensive soil sampling to guide cleanup decisions. Initial sampling identifies properties eligible for cleanup, while spot-check verification and retrospective sampling confirm that completed work meets the state's high standards.
To date, DTSC has performed sampling of 10,028 parcels to determine cleanup priority. 9,016 parcels have been identified as eligible for further remediation (about 80% of those contacted have granted DTSC access), based on soil lead concentration greater than 80 parts per million and/or a single sample greater than 1,000 ppm. DTSC conducted verification and retrospective sampling on 623 properties.
DTSC remains committed to engaging residents throughout the process. Staff have spent thousands of hours meeting with residents, hosting public meetings, holding office hours, and conducting door-to-door outreach. The department launched the Exide Cleanup Feedback Management System, empowering residents to track progress and share feedback directly. Since 2017, DTSC has enrolled more than 120 community members in its Workforce Environmental Restoration in Communities program, and more than 70 graduates have gone on to work on the cleanup in their own neighborhoods.
Press releases, Recent news
More on The Californer
https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=h...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linku...">Recent news
Governor Newsom announces appointments 11.5.26
Nov 5, 2026
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Colin Brown, of Soquel, has been appointed State Epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health. Brown has been the United Kingdom Health Security Agency Lead for the...
Governor Newsom releases letter to California on the death penalty
Nov 5, 2026
News SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he plans to change all California death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.The Governor's letter to the people of California is available here.For more information, click...
California expands water storage infrastructure, largest new reservoir in more than 50 years clears final permit
Nov 5, 2026
News The 1.5 million-acre-foot Sites Reservoir will store enough water to supply more than 4.5 million homes for one year What you need to know: Under Governor Newsom's leadership, California just reached a major milestone. After decades of planning, Sites Reservoir...
Nov 6, 2026
Governor Newsom announces major cleanup progress in communities impacted by shuttered Exide battery recycling facility in South Los Angeles
What you need to know: Since 2016, California has invested more than $700 million to clean lead-contaminated soil at nearly 6,500 residential parcels and 7,800 parkways near the former Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon, and has finished cleanup at every school, park, and childcare center identified in the affected area.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced major progress in cleaning up lead-contaminated soil in neighborhoods around the former Exide facility in Vernon. As of October 23, California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has cleaned nearly 6,500 residential parcels, about 80% of the roughly 8,000 eligible properties where owners have granted access, and all 7,800 eligible parkways along sidewalks and roads in the surrounding Southeast Los Angeles communities.
DTSC has also cleaned all schools, parks, and childcare centers in the affected area, ensuring the places where kids learn and play are safe. Residential cleanup remains ongoing, with additional properties underway.
Every school, park, and childcare center in the affected area has been cleaned, and nearly 6,500 homes have been made safer. That is real progress for communities that waited far too long for justice. California will keep fighting to do right by the families of Southeast Los Angeles.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Governor Newsom prioritized cleaning up neighborhoods impacted by decades of Exide pollution, investing more than $500 million in one of the largest residential lead cleanups in U.S. history.
California has completed cleanup at:
- 🏡 6,495 residential parcels
- 🛣️ 7,818 parkways
- ✏️ 12 schools
- 🧑🧑🧒 68 childcare centers
- 🛝 5 parks
"Clean air, soil and water should be basic rights. That's why California is committed to cleaning up the decades of pollution left behind by Exide, affecting far too many families and communities," said Secretary for Environmental Protection, Yana Garcia. "The investments made by this administration mean that in Southeast Los Angeles, nearly 6,500 families have cleaner properties, and impacted communities have safer childcare centers, schools and parks where they can safely live, work and play."
"DTSC is delivering real and measurable progress for families living near the former Exide facility," said DTSC Director Katherine Butler. "Every home we clean brings communities closer to the safe, healthy future they deserve after decades of industrial pollution. California remains steadfast in completing this cleanup thoroughly, safely, and with full transparency."
How we got here
The former Exide facility in Vernon, located five miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, operated for decades, recycling lead-acid batteries. In 2002, DTSC required Exide to investigate and clean up releases from its operations. In 2014, testing revealed elevated lead levels in nearby residential soil. In 2015, DTSC ordered Exide to withdraw a pending permit to operate, effectively closing the facility. Cleanup has continued ever since.
More on The Californer
- Majo Aguilar inaugruates the Paseo de las Estrellas at Plaza Mexico with the unveiling of her Estrella Maya
- Woodland Real Estate Market Report |October 2026: Beyond the Numbers, Understanding Our Local Market
- IRS Increases 2027 Tax-Deductible Limits for Long-Term Care Insurance
- Celebrate Marine Corps Birthday Nov 10th with Veteran F-4J Pilot Squadron VMFA-334
- Afrikicks Gala Announces Star-studded Evening Hosted By Anthony Anderson, Honoring Entertainment,
When a federal bankruptcy court later allowed Exide to abandon the site, Governor Newsom condemned the decision, declaring that California would continue fighting to hold Exide and its creditors accountable for poisoning the residential parcels, playgrounds and backyards surrounding the facility.
Since then, California has made sustained investments to accelerate cleanup and protect surrounding communities, including major state funding in 2021 for demolition, site cleanup and residential remediation, additional funding in 2023 for parkway cleanup, and continued funding to clean more contaminated residential parcels. The Newsom administration also took decisive steps to request the addition of the former Exide facility to the federal Superfund National Priorities List that, if successful, would bring additional federal resources to one of the largest contamination cleanups in U.S. history.
Today's progress reflects years of work by the state and community partners to clean contaminated soil, protect families, and address what Governor Newsom has called Exide's "toxic legacy" and a "decades-long injustice."
How the cleanup works
California conducts comprehensive soil sampling to guide cleanup decisions. Initial sampling identifies properties eligible for cleanup, while spot-check verification and retrospective sampling confirm that completed work meets the state's high standards.
To date, DTSC has performed sampling of 10,028 parcels to determine cleanup priority. 9,016 parcels have been identified as eligible for further remediation (about 80% of those contacted have granted DTSC access), based on soil lead concentration greater than 80 parts per million and/or a single sample greater than 1,000 ppm. DTSC conducted verification and retrospective sampling on 623 properties.
DTSC remains committed to engaging residents throughout the process. Staff have spent thousands of hours meeting with residents, hosting public meetings, holding office hours, and conducting door-to-door outreach. The department launched the Exide Cleanup Feedback Management System, empowering residents to track progress and share feedback directly. Since 2017, DTSC has enrolled more than 120 community members in its Workforce Environmental Restoration in Communities program, and more than 70 graduates have gone on to work on the cleanup in their own neighborhoods.
Press releases, Recent news
More on The Californer
- Pervaziv AI Releases Cortex Discover 1.6, Making Persistent AI Lighter as Workspaces Grow
- New Series of AI Books for Lawyers Launches: ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews & Grok
- Brian G. Miller Co., LLC Receives Tier 1 Ranking in the 2027 Edition of Best Law Firms®
- Governor Newsom releases letter to California on the death penalty
- Pervaziv AI Launches Cortex 6.3 for Private Intelligence and Connected Work
https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=h...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linku...">Recent news
Governor Newsom announces appointments 11.5.26
Nov 5, 2026
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Colin Brown, of Soquel, has been appointed State Epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health. Brown has been the United Kingdom Health Security Agency Lead for the...
Governor Newsom releases letter to California on the death penalty
Nov 5, 2026
News SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he plans to change all California death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.The Governor's letter to the people of California is available here.For more information, click...
California expands water storage infrastructure, largest new reservoir in more than 50 years clears final permit
Nov 5, 2026
News The 1.5 million-acre-foot Sites Reservoir will store enough water to supply more than 4.5 million homes for one year What you need to know: Under Governor Newsom's leadership, California just reached a major milestone. After decades of planning, Sites Reservoir...
0 Comments
Latest on The Californer
- Is there a good hotel for a group staying together near Redondo Beach, CA?
- Arizona Pest Control Surpasses $200,000 in Contributions to Southern Arizona High School Sports and Education Programs
- California expands water storage infrastructure, largest new reservoir in more than 50 years clears final permit
- Vydhai Dental Publishes 2026 Guide to Dental Marketing Agencies Specializing in GEO and AI Search
- Orange County's Favorite Vintage Market Returns: The Great Junk Hunt is Back in Costa Mesa!
- Fake Claude Code Build Backdoors Up to 5,000 Developer Machines — Redthread Security Says Failure
- ZenaTech (NAS DAQ: ZENA) $1 Million in New Utility Contracts- Potential $2.5 Million Follow-On Opportunity Puts Its Drone Business in the Spotlight!
- New Patient Data Show REQORSA® Activating Cellular Repair Pathways as Roche Collaboration Advances Precision Lung Cancer Strategy for Genprex, Inc
- Twenty Minutes, $6.3 Billion: Binance Heist Was an Identity Failure
- Jacko Law Group Recognized by Best Law Firms® for Corporate Law in San Diego
- Happreneurs™ Announces 20 Open Houses Nationwide, Introducing a New Era of Business Networking Built on Happiness
- Holiday Season Jewellery Gift Guide 2026: Designer-Inspired Christmas Gifts for Her That Feel Luxurious
- Genuine Hospitality, LLC Selected to Operate Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jacksonville – Town Center
- Are there any pet-friendly hotels near Redondo Beach, CA?
- Where can I find a hotel with meeting and event space near Redondo Beach, CA?
- Gum Recession? Pinhole Surgery Explained by Chao Pinhole® Certified Dr. Narkhede, Lake Forest, CA
- Can you find a pet-friendly hotel near Manhattan Beach, CA?
- I'm looking for a hotel with a fitness center near Manhattan Beach, CA. Any options?
- Where should I stay near Manhattan Beach, CA if I'm flying out of LAX?
- Are there any hotels near Hawthorne, CA with a pool and hot tub?