[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6580480,"mediaKeyId","3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270","parentId",3085792,"title","Army Corps outlines debris-removal timeline; lawmakers press for subcontractor lists, landfill oversight","audioSeconds",226,"startMs",9858000,"endMs",10084000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270&start=9858&end=10084","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270/thumbnail_9858000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6580480/California/Army-Corps-outlines-debris-removal-timeline-lawmakers-press-for-subcontractor-lists-landfill-oversight","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580480-acd863b53550ba38948f81ba186297e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450672&Signature=mKI7hdGGYzdquqf3v1S26C-VVsGbtN2A1fTGkNdf2yq-hJxvII4ECzyGxWdLkSCj9p4F7P-0w5Faqr9Z38FzCbwmcQiQQN8809IBWtoB5aaKHgH0DFRmcJWf5hr0fH6ppxBXRumM~GbFv5TbpavWuFY10q4jgfeQPS3M3r7FyYJrJS9zM0A5QUif-lbLEO6wX9muA2Hgg0tx8o2P3e9O3JICrhqQp3zY-SoiwPHetLpCVFJeqrMjzKF6lXIwoGCHCjoCvSNjbbokNLcR~jae2Tp3zO93IqUA7F9Kz0Jy1uqsTYaAHxr-sweL9mJEpxqJys~CR625uCQ45OPNy8gLEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told a joint Senate and Assembly hearing that it had mobilized teams and contractors for federally directed Phase 2 residential debris removal after the Jan. 7 Los Angeles fires and estimated the operation would take roughly a year.

Colonel Jim Hondura, regional commander for the Corps' South Pacific Division, said the Corps had established a recovery field office in Pasadena and emergency field offices in Pasadena and Pacific Palisades, brought in more than 1,600 personnel and deployed 21 debris teams. He said the Corps had received 3,771 rights of entry (ROEs) collected by LA County Public Works and had completed and final-signed 242 parcels. \"We estimate around 4.25 to 4.5 million tons of debris needs to be removed,\" Hondura said, and he noted the Corps expects Phase 2 to take about a year.

Contracting and procurement questions
The Corps said it is working under Stafford Act and other authorities and that a pre‑qualified regional prime contractor, ECC, holds the main emergency response contract in the region. Hondura said the ECC prime is required to award 40 percent of subcontracts to small or disadvantaged businesses and is encouraged to hire from local labor pools. He also said the Corps had held industry days and prequalification steps to bring local subcontractors into the work.

But lawmakers and panelists pressed for more transparency. Committee members repeatedly requested a list of ECC subcontractors, the share of locally hired workers and demographic breakdowns of subcontract awards — data the Corps said it would provide later. \"We'd like to know if they're meeting that 40% goal and what portion of the workforce is local,\" a committee member said.

Disposal, environmental and monitoring issues
Hondura said debris is being sorted on site and routed by material: recyclables such as metal and concrete go to recycling facilities; ash and asbestos are sent to permitted landfills. The Corps said the county helped identify local disposal options (Sunshine Canyon, Calabasas, Palmdale and other permitted facilities) and that some facilities are specifically permitted to handle asbestos material. The Corps also said teams are conducting on‑site air monitoring and using dust suppression measures, liners and tarps during transport.

Community concerns raised at the hearing included how contractors and haulers are being screened to prevent contaminated material from entering recycling streams, and whether monitoring continues after trucks leave the site. Legislators asked the Corps for details on how materials are validated as safe for recycling versus being routed to hazardous disposal and requested contractor and hauler lists for local oversight.

Ending
The Corps agreed to provide additional documentation to the committees, including subcontractor lists and more detail about disposal and monitoring procedures. Lawmakers said they will follow up to ensure state and local disposal rules are enforced and that communities hosting debris disposal receive clear notification and monitoring data.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Business and Professions Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told a joint Senate and Assembly hearing that it had mobilized teams and contractors for federally directed Phase 2 residential debris removal after the Jan. 7 Los Angeles fires and estimated the operation would take roughly a year.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6580484,"Legislators, unions and worker groups press for stronger safety, local-hire rules in LA wildfire recovery",1357,2391000,3748000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270&start=2391&end=3748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270/thumbnail_2391000.jpg","/articles/6580484/California/Legislators-unions-and-worker-groups-press-for-stronger-safety-local-hire-rules-in-LA-wildfire-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580484-41de7765ae9b174e21d00836d58cfccc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450672&Signature=O1ahqPFT1ZDUtHcWpGr9cdcU7CR-MINXk~qJL~ZUzJ9ZVXoUhiVYP4js99Zl0K3BwXG8d~qTXkWmPK2pB4zgDNUWh7-kgzcu1e6wFn6do-3bcVMcMRBvI-siIklZKPGIvG4S8OvXZqKrqYDtMVsO4oVjyvAsiXhFoBXpjKvIOh8FfnQ5YeXiyxO9opA5fI7iAudTnzP1MfxN-kP7fSRpqrf-~sxCRE1itTecu~kItzKsYdDKFD-oB5-yZvoQaOvfuwKDIbLMYFl1~IqJ-~5gn4DcjAW8gquTZ0~jvU8bgtcdhreB1qxCcRfcgLUnKi-eISPteTT1bxl3cMR7-L9NtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers convened a joint Senate and Assembly hearing to examine worker safety and labor equity in the recovery from the Jan. 7 Los Angeles wildfires, hearing testimony from firefighters, union leaders, worker centers and state agencies pressing for stronger enforcement, local-hire rules and funding for worker protections.

The hearing brought frontline testimony and agency updates. Derek Erwin, a firefighter and researcher with LA County Firefighters IFF Local 1014, told the committees that firefighting exposures are classified as carcinogenic and urged state funding for large longitudinal research on firefighter cancer risks. \"We humbly ask your support in continuing to fund the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program,\" Erwin said.

Why it matters: witnesses warned that fast-moving recovery money and federal contracting arrangements can leave local workers, day laborers and domestic workers sidelined or exposed to health risks. Panelists pressed for local‑hire requirements, enforceable community workforce agreements, mandatory training and visible enforcement by Cal/OSHA, the labor commissioner and contracting authorities so recovery spending creates local jobs without sacrificing health and safety.

Union and worker-center testimony
Eddie Escota Alvarez, a council representative for the LA and Orange County Building Trades, said the cleanup and rebuild should require community workforce agreements (CWAs) that include local-hire and apprenticeship mandates. \"If there's any type of public subsidy, may it be time or money to fast track these projects, make sure there's a community workforce agreement attached to it,\" Alvarez said. He added that unions have capacity locally and cited apprenticeship and placement statistics his organizations run.

Megan Ortiz, executive director of IDEPSCA, described day laborers and domestic workers caught in the Palisades and Malibu evacuations and warned that many workers rely on public transit and bilingual outreach. \"We had to create materials to warn workers who we know work in those areas of the high winds and what was the risk,\" she said, urging funding for outreach programs such as the Domestic Worker Outreach Program and the California Workplace Outreach Program.

Sarah Flock of the California Labor Federation described risks that recovery work could deepen inequities if workers are not accounted for. \"Disaster recovery really does present an opportunity ... but there is a risk that recovery is just going to deepen and worsen the inequities that already exist,\" she said, urging investments in firefighter cancer funds, recall and transfer rights and child-care supports.

Agency and enforcement updates
Cal/OSHA Chief Deborah Lee described an outreach-and-enforcement strategy that included bilingual materials, community‑based organization partnerships and teams on the ground. Lee said Cal/OSHA had dedicated staff working in the field and a call center staffed by bilingual personnel. \"Our approach is to provide compliance assistance by educating homeowners and employers on the hazards of wildfire smoke, debris and cleanup,\" she said, and to pursue enforcement when employers fail to abate hazards.

Cal/OSHA regional manager Hassan Adan said the agency had received complaints and is investigating incidents and accidents. He reported that Cal/OSHA staff had participated in community meetings and distributed materials at laundromats, hardware stores and workers' centers.

What witnesses asked the Legislature to do
Witnesses urged the Legislature to: (1) require prequalification and local-hire standards on state-funded and expedited projects, (2) expand funding for outreach and bilingual education for nontraditional workforces, (3) ensure enforcement capacity at Cal/OSHA and labor enforcement agencies during long recoveries, and (4) use workforce grants to couple short-term subsidized jobs with apprenticeships and long-term pathways into construction careers.

Ending
Committee members said they would follow up with agency requests for contractor lists, compliance data and more precise counts on the share of recovery dollars flowing to locally based firms. Several members urged the executive branch and federal partners to align procurement and oversight so state investments produce local jobs while protecting worker safety.","At a joint Senate and Assembly hearing, firefighters, unions, worker centers and state agencies urged tighter worker-safety enforcement, more local-hire and apprenticeship requirements and stronger oversight of debris‑removal and rebuild contracts after the Jan. 7 Los Angeles fires.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6580470,"State, county and city officials detail relief, workforce grants and business assistance after LA fires",247,13575000,13822000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270&start=13575&end=13822","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270/thumbnail_13575000.jpg","/articles/6580470/California/State-county-and-city-officials-detail-relief-workforce-grants-and-business-assistance-after-LA-fires","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580470-1baa910e1877f31d727d3e5ce5b41ef7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450672&Signature=D2wOgwsMs-o63MoDwHVrc19ESS1Bl-O-OVWRzTy14rwYl1bQ8Fx2o887jIfjiwqRlF1telhPti9ZQy-J-wCG57rEGwZsp88cHFypcydWmsX6o7yVfbyy4G2ctR6KwT1TGjJmjZunPue4APT2jHVTezBZr8RKsoFfJhnDvC5wV61vLgUo26sXdEDLG5XT0XPIfJrI~Yh93zv~4yvFDf~KgbFiAeXihqLjXoZ2SZdjqRgnnEJOE8Xv5HCu5KwHoWQEGA6zUK6H8D8QXXiNdyqTmqv~tTcv~xH41tikbrt9EQcg7wa50N-NvibMpwXy31AgKnBCKAyOimnYteUElz41Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State and local workforce officials described steps under way to help displaced workers and small businesses following the Jan. 7 Los Angeles wildfires, including unemployment and disaster‑assistance benefits, federally funded temporary jobs and new local relief funds.

Immediate benefits and claims
Employment Development Department Director Nancy Ferris told the committees that EDD has processed more than 7,000 regular unemployment insurance claims and over 4,500 federal disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) claims since the fires. The governor waived the one‑week waiting period for UI and FEMA extended the DUA application deadline from March 10 to March 31, Ferris said.

Temporary jobs and workforce grants
Ferris and county and city workforce officials described two federally funded grants: a National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) to provide temporary, subsidized jobs for cleanup, humanitarian assistance and related tasks, and an Additional Assistance (AA) grant that can be used for transitional work and wraparound services. The grants use WIOA funding and will be administered through the city and county, offering training, supportive services and temporary employment. County officials said the NDWG and AA programs aim to support more than 1,000 impacted workers with training and 300 with temporary subsidized employment beginning in April.

Local relief funds and small-business support
Los Angeles County said it helped stand up the LA Region Small Business and Worker Relief Fund, which provides $2,000 cash grants to workers and up to $25,000 grants to qualifying small businesses. County staff reported more than 6,000 worker applications with initial awards scheduled to begin the week of the hearing and additional disbursements planned by early April. The county and city said they are also operating pop-up business resource centers, multilingual outreach and in‑person technical assistance at disaster recovery centers.

Longer-term employment and retraining
Germaine Hampton of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation summarized preliminary economic-impact estimates and highlighted sectors likely to need workforce support, including retail, health care, construction and hospitality. County and city officials said they will use jobs‑first and workforce development partnerships to pair temporary employment opportunities with apprenticeships and upskilling to create longer‑term career pathways.

Ending
Officials said immediate relief and grants are already in place but emphasized that rebuilding and retraining will be a multiyear effort, and they committed to continuing coordination among state, city and county partners.","EDD, Los Angeles County and Los Angeles City officials summarized unemployment and disaster job assistance, new workforce grants (NDWG and Additional Assistance), and local relief funds for workers and small businesses affected by the Jan. 7 fires.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6580475,"Firefighter testifies to cancer risk; experts call for larger state‑funded cohort studies",190,2971000,3161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270&start=2971&end=3161","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085792-d84c56464c11d173fdf33560a26b4270/thumbnail_2971000.jpg","/articles/6580475/California/Firefighter-testifies-to-cancer-risk-experts-call-for-larger-statefunded-cohort-studies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580475-623cacf1c08118ebb3cfe047229fb2a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450672&Signature=c8HT2Hx0RjZXiq3OiKuLyGzW-Try8nzWt8RGyXHMsiA7clI~ZtaLHQkkBSviD1UDk6DVi-PsFzEv8iCMq4s0p7LucYNoy6db1sc8AyPIS4dMUuUkvVyWVdVdzuDvQU9IizCytobVnD9krcO5o8DefAE4GfiNOL2Bq2WJ9PFLCf1AoUqKJCiHGBF1-XnSRPqlYG47ha~WC66s7kQUyDG~k-1xF1f1tR93URDFRcSwdR2PFAOnh9jzZxtR~FlGfpByppvSbbraPD8LfV8pNURthM7~x069ufJ6yj34Dsytoe2z2yLphVX9f5APWqRDlbwIfBLxKkn7cUqQHZ~kMJhueQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Derek Erwin, a veteran firefighter with LA County Firefighters IFF Local 1014 and an adjunct professor at UCLA, told a joint Senate and Assembly hearing that firefighting exposures are severe and likely increase cancer risk, and he urged lawmakers to expand state research funding beyond the relatively small grants already established by AB 700 in 2023.

Erwin described firefighting as an occupation the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as a Group 1 carcinogen and said the recent conflagrations in the Eaton and Palisades fires created multi‑day exposures to combustion products from burning structures and vehicles. \"The long term health impacts of these and years of repeated exposures in the line of duty are currently unknown,\" he said, arguing that larger, long‑term cohort studies of thousands of California firefighters are needed and that California has the researchers and institutions to run them.

What witnesses asked for
Erwin and other witnesses asked the Legislature to: (1) increase state funding to create a sustained California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program capable of longitudinal cohort studies; (2) coordinate University of California and state public health resources; and (3) maintain health monitoring and post‑incident care for first responders.

Context and existing funding
Erwin noted that the Legislature passed AB 700 in 2023 to fund smaller firefighter research projects (grants in the $300,000–$750,000 range for two to three years). He said those awards are a start but \"these are relatively small research grants\" compared with multi‑million‑dollar NIH cohort projects and that state funding at a larger scale could support sustained research and monitoring tailored to California firefighters' combined municipal and wildland exposures.

Ending
Witnesses urged the committees to consider sustained research and monitoring as part of the state's recovery investments so the health impacts of intensive exposure events can be studied and mitigated over time.","A firefighter-scientist told lawmakers that firefighting is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen and urged California to fund large longitudinal studies to identify biological mechanisms and interventions. Witnesses pointed to AB 700 funds as a start but said larger investments are needed to mount NIH-scale cohort research.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Army Corps outlines debris-removal timeline; lawmakers press for subcontractor lists, landfill oversight

Legislators, unions and worker groups press for stronger safety, local-hire rules in LA wildfire recovery

State, county and city officials detail relief, workforce grants and business assistance after LA fires

Firefighter testifies to cancer risk; experts call for larger state‑funded cohort studies