Gov. announced major progress in cleaning lead-contaminated soil around the former Exide battery recycling facility in Vernon; the governor’s office said the Department of Toxic Substances Control has completed thousands of residential and public-site cleanups.

The state said DTSC has cleaned 6,495 residential parcels and 7,818 parkways, and that it has completed cleanup at 12 schools, 68 childcare centers and 5 parks in the affected Southeast Los Angeles communities.

As of Oct. 23, DTSC had sampled 10,028 parcels to determine cleanup priority and identified 9,016 parcels as eligible for remediation based on lead levels; about 80% of contacted property owners have granted access, the release said. DTSC said it conducted verification and retrospective sampling on 623 properties.

The release said California has invested more than $700 million since 2016 in remediation around the former Exide site, and it cited additional state funding rounds for demolition, site cleanup, parkway cleanup and residential remediation that accelerated work in recent years.

The governor’s office described community outreach and local hiring as part of the effort; DTSC said staff have spent thousands of hours meeting residents, and that more than 120 community members enrolled in a workforce restoration program, with more than 70 graduates working on the cleanup locally.

DTSC Director Katherine Butler said, "Every home we clean brings communities closer to the safe, healthy future they deserve after decades of industrial pollution." The release said the administration has also sought placement of the former Exide facility on the federal Superfund National Priorities List to secure additional federal resources.

Residential cleanup remains ongoing and the state said additional properties are under way; residents can track progress and submit feedback through the Exide Cleanup Feedback Management System, the release said.

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