LA County approves $1 million for Eaton Fire lead-contaminated soil removal

A $1 million Altadena Soil Remediation Program was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week, intended to help residents affected by the Eaton Fire address soil health concerns.

The $1 million is part of a $3 million program that will fund remediation costs for lead-contaminated soil.

A Caltech study found that 90% of the homes in Altadena were built before 1975, when lead-based paint was common before being banned by the federal government in 1978.

Following the Eaton Fire, county public health officials contracted with Roux Inc. to conduct soil testing, during which elevated lead levels were discovered on properties downwind of the wildfire.

"Soil testing results from the areas downwind of the Eaton fire area revealed that lead levels in soil at many locations exceeded state residential screening levels," Roux wrote in a Nov. 2025 newsletter.

Program funds for remediation will be prioritized for homes still standing, where pregnant women or children under 6 years old live, "given the heightened health risks lead exposure poses to these populations," LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger's office wrote in a July 21 statement.

 The program will fund enrollment, administration, and remediation of lead-contaminated soil on properties affected by the Eaton Fire and is expected to launch in the fall.

Funding for the program comes from the county's Climate Equity Account and is expected to launch in the fall.

"Many Altadena residents have spent months waiting for answers while insurance companies have fallen short of meeting survivors' legitimate needs. Today's action is an important step forward to help residents safely restore their properties and move on with rebuilding their lives," Barger wrote in a statement.