Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Pasadena Assemblymember Urges State Budget Funding for Eaton Fire Soil Testing

Harabedian tells budget panel that fire survivors need contamination data to decide whether to return home

Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) urged state lawmakers at a recent budget hearing to include funding for comprehensive soil contamination testing in the state budget, arguing that Eaton Fire survivors in Pasadena and Altadena cannot make informed decisions about returning home without it.

The push highlights a gap between the scale of contamination risk and the testing resources available. The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,414 structures, according to Cal Fire damage assessments, yet the EPA has committed to testing soil at only 100 properties, according to an EPA press release issued in January 2026. LA County allocated up to $3 million for lead testing through its Lead Paint Hazard Mitigation Program, according to the LA County Department of Public Health, but that program was expected to run through December 2025.

“The state has already allocated two and a half billion dollars for Los Angeles wildfire recovery,” Harabedian said in a statement issued by his office. “We should prioritize soil contamination testing because it gives survivors the tools to make an informed decision and the assurance that their homes are safe.”

The Army Corps of Engineers removed the top six inches of soil from burned properties during debris cleanup, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But comprehensive testing to determine whether harmful substances remain was not conducted afterward, according to Harabedian’s office.

More than seven in 10 Eaton Fire area residents have not returned to their homes, according to a January 2026 Department of Angels quarterly poll cited by Eaton Fire Residents United. The community organization, which serves as official sponsor of Harabedian’s related bill AB 1642, said in a statement that “people are living, learning, and working in places that may still be contaminated with lead and asbestos from the devastating LA Fires — and that is an urgent public health risk.”

Preliminary soil testing by the LA County Department of Public Health found that 70% to 80% of samples in areas downwind from the burn zone exceeded lead screening levels, according to CBS Los Angeles.

Harabedian’s budget advocacy runs on a separate track from AB 1642, the Wildfire Environmental Safety and Testing Act, which would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt emergency regulations for post-wildfire contamination testing standards by July 1, 2027, according to the bill text. That measure passed the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on March 10 and next goes to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, according to Harabedian’s office.

The California Constitution requires the Legislature to pass the budget by June 15. Harabedian’s office has not specified a dollar amount for the soil testing request. Budget negotiations are ongoing, and inclusion of soil testing funding is not assured.

“No family should have to worry about whether their home is safe after a fire,” Harabedian said in a March 3 statement from his office announcing EFRU’s sponsorship of AB 1642.