California Senate Approves $180M For Battery Plant Cleanup

VERNON (AP) — The California state Senate has approved nearly $180 million to test and clean up homes and businesses that may be contaminated by lead near a former battery recycling plant in Los Angeles County.

The Senate approved AB 118 in a 38-0 vote on Thursday.

Gov. Jerry Brown proposed the funding in February to clean some of the estimated 10,000 affected properties near the former Exide Technologies plant in Vernon.

More than $7 million has already been spent for testing and cleanup, including removal of 10,000 tons of lead-contaminated soil.

Democratic Senate leader Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles says the state will eventually seek to recover the cleanup costs from Exide.

The bill goes to the Assembly, which must agree to changes made in the Senate.

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