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EPA-led cleanup begins at Moss Landing battery fire site; county to publish sampling reports this fall
Summary
Monterey County staff reported that a CERCLA enforceable agreement with the U.S. EPA is in place, on-site stabilization and demolition have begun, and community sampling reports are expected mid-September through December 2025; residents pressed for clearer pollution data and protections for wells and workers.
Monterey County staff and residents on Aug. 19 discussed progress and outstanding questions about the cleanup at the Moss Landing battery storage fire site. County environmental and public-works staff said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a CERCLA enforceable agreement with the responsible party and on-site activities have begun, with battery removal expected to start in September.
Kelsey Scanlon, county staff providing the update, said the EPA and the responsible party executed a CERCLA agreement (docket cited by staff as "CERCLA docket number 9-2025-08") and that structural stabilization, partial demolition and preparatory work are underway to allow safe retrieval of batteries. "After the stabilization and partial demolition activities are completed, the US EPA expects battery removal will begin in September," Scanlon said. She added that dust control and air monitoring measures were in place during work.
Scanlon outlined a timeline for county-coordinated sampling and reporting: a TerraPhase soil sampling report (mid-September 2025), a sediment and surface-water technical report (November 2025), and a preliminary environmental analysis with human-health and ecological screening (December 2025). The county said it would post verified results and technical reports online after internal and peer review.
County public-works staff described sampling logistics and timelines, but several residents urged clearer, faster disclosure of pollutant lists and concentrations. Ed Mitchell, a co-founder of Never Again Moss Landing, said residents have not received a complete list of pollutants found across the fire footprint and urged officials to obtain and release sample results for a pile of burned material the group called "Ground 0." "We asked the section chief to get us the sample results... We didn't get that," Mitchell said.
Another resident, Michelle Clary, said she found hexavalent chromium in a well in Royal Oaks during recent testing and urged stronger county action to protect private wells, livestock and workers. "Who's gonna take care of my well and make sure it's clean?" she asked.
Public-works staff told the board the county is coordinating review of lab reports, that TerraPhase and other consultants will produce technical reports for county and state peer review, and that the EPA is the lead for site activities within the fence line. Tom Moss, senior water resource hydrologist for the county, told the board the sampling program should help identify sediment pore-water partitioning for fire-related analytes and that review timelines account for complex analyses such as PAHs, dioxins and furans.
Supervisors expressed residents' frustration at gaps in available information and asked staff to press federal and state partners for clear, public reporting. Supervisor Church said he meets monthly with EPA staff and that the county is asking the agency for additional detail on materials inside the fenced area. The board requested EPA provide an in-person briefing at the county's next monthly update, which staff said was planned for Sept. 16.
No formal board action was taken; the Aug. 19 update was informational and staff said it will return with more detailed results and EPA participation at the September meeting.
