Monterey County presses for independent toxicology review as PG&E seeks to return Elkhorn battery system to service

Monterey County supervisors voted May 20 to have county staff commission an independent toxicologist to review air and soil sampling from the January Moss Landing battery storage fire after residents and state agencies raised ongoing public-health and cleanup concerns.

County staff and federal officials briefed the Board of Supervisors on ongoing debris and battery-module removal planning at the Vistra Moss Landing facility, and on air- and soil-sampling work that Monterey County Environmental Health is overseeing. PG&E representatives told the board the utility intends to re‑energize its Elkhorn battery system in June to support grid reliability; several supervisors and dozens of public commenters said more independent review and community involvement are needed before any restart.

Why it matters: The January blaze at Vistra’s Moss Landing battery facility — the largest battery storage fire in the United States — raised urgent questions about emergency response, air quality impacts and how to remove and dispose of damaged battery modules. Residents and local officials said communication and monitoring gaps during the response eroded trust and asked for stronger oversight and independent technical review.

County, state and federal update Kelsey (county staff member) told the board U.S. EPA is overseeing Vistra’s removal planning and that “each step of the process is being done in a very strategic…