Bill > SB234

This bill establishes a workgroup to address the potential health risks associated with toxic heavy metals exposure during and after wildfires. Specifically, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control will form a collaborative group to study and develop best practices for minimizing exposure to heavy metals like chromium-6, which can be created during high-heat wildfires and potentially cause serious health issues including cancer, asthma, and heart attacks. The workgroup will be tasked with creating recommendations for wildfire-impacted communities, first responders, and cleanup personnel, studying ways to mitigate and prevent heavy metal exposure, exploring environmental remediation techniques (such as using vegetation or bacterial treatments), and developing strategies for fire departments to reduce exposure risks. The bill authorizes these agencies to contract with universities and research institutions to support the workgroup's efforts and requires them to submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027, detailing their findings. The legislation is prompted by California's recent history of destructive wildfires, which have burned over 10 million acres between 2018 and early 2025, and emerging scientific evidence about the potential toxic transformations that can occur during these events.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB234