Learn the Issues
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Final Rule on Regulation of Methylene Chloride in Paint and Coating Removal for Consumer Use
Final Rule on Regulation of Methylene Chloride in Paint and Coating Removal for Consumer Use
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Miscellaneous: Is Moss Landing a Superfund site?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions No. "Superfund Site" typically refers to a long term, complex cleanup, (i.e. decades). The Moss Landing response is a short-term action referred to as a "Time Critical Removal Action" to address the potential threat from the impacted batteries to human health and the environment.
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Ongoing Work: How will you prevent the contamination from moving off site when it rains?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions The site has a pre-existing drainage and stormwater system. The system collects any water that falls on the Moss Landing 300 building and the surrounding area. Additionally, Vistra built a paved surface for their battery handling area, which drains to a lined water collection area…
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Ongoing Work: How will you control dust and particles during operations?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions We are committed to ensuring all work moves at the speed of safety. This means taking steps to ensure fine particles (like dust) from Vistra’s work do not pose a risk to the community or workers. We required (pdf) Vistra to submit several work plans…
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Ongoing Work: What will EPA and Vistra do if there are elevated readings detected by the air monitors?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Under our oversight, Vistra continues to maintain 24/7 air monitoring and sampling. Sampling and monitoring will happen around the site perimeter and in the community. If monitors show elevated readings, work stops. If changes to work processes are needed, Vistra will make the changes to…
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Ongoing Work: How is the air monitoring and air sampling data being used to protect the community and the environment?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Air monitoring and sampling stations continue to run 24/7 at: The site perimeter The work areas In the community We oversee results from daily air monitoring reports. These reports continue to show no levels of contaminants (pdf) * (particulates, mineral acid gases) above our health…
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Ongoing Work: Can the building be covered or tented?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions The building is structurally unsound, so tenting is not possible. Tenting would present safety issues for workers. As workers and large, heavy machinery will be in and out of the building, tenting would also block access needed to remove batteries. Air monitoring and air sampling…
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Ongoing Work: What are the contaminants of concern?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions We require Vistra to monitor and sample for the “contaminants of concern” we identified for the site, some of which are referenced in our order and in our notice (pdf) to Vistra. These substances are based on: what we know is in the batteries, what…
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Other Testing or Sampling: Is EPA testing for dioxins?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Dioxins are produced in many ways, such as through power plant operations, agricultural operations, etc. Without a long-term study and risk assessment, it is difficult to determine if dioxins in the surrounding environment are a result of the January 2025 battery fire at Moss Landing…
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Other Testing or Sampling: Did EPA sample for black carbon?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Black carbon (soot) is part of PM 2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns), which is measured in air monitoring. Since the fire, we have not seen levels of PM2.5 that would be of concern to the community’s health.
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Other Testing or Sampling: Has the ash been sampled in the damaged building?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions The damaged portion of Moss Landing 300 is unsafe to enter due to structural instability. We expect material in the building’s ash to include soot, debris, and burned battery material, as well as building materials. Ash, debris, and any other remaining material will be sampled…
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Other Testing or Sampling: Did EPA take wipe samples on-site?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions In emergency response situations, EPA focuses on understanding how a person could contact contamination (also called exposure). Inhalation was the main way someone could be exposed to contamination from Moss Landing. To understand the risk of inhalation, monitoring and measuring the air was done. It…
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Moss Landing Soil: Did EPA use X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to test soil on and around the site?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Monterey County is overseeing the soil sampling in the community to assess exposure, while EPA remains focused on overseeing the battery removal work at the site. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a screening tool used to detect metals in soil. Screening tools are helpful to assess…
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EPA's Role: What is battery delinking and what does it do?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Battery “delinking” is when cables connecting different batteries are disconnected. At Moss Landing, batteries were disconnected from one another. They were also disconnected from the rack holding the batteries in the energy storage system. Disconnecting the batteries from one another lowers the risk of fire.
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EPA's Role: Why are you only overseeing battery removal on-site?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions The State of California requested EPA support for oversight of the battery removal under our CERCLA legal authority. We are also bound by our legal authority . We have been asked by the state to: oversee the battery removal; oversee the assessment, preparation, and packaging…
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EPA's Role: What does the battery removal process involve?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions Our oversight will ensure the batteries are properly handled and removed. Key activities: remove batteries from the building for inspection and testing on site, de-energize and treat batteries for shipment, and safe disposal off-site.
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EPA's Role: Under what authority is EPA overseeing the Fire Response?
Return to: Frequently Asked Questions We have an emergency response and “removal” (cleanup) program under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). By law, EPA can require property owners and operators to act to protect the public and the environment when there is/are releases or potential releases of…
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Registration Review of Pyridine and Pyrimidine Herbicides
List of pyridine and pyrimidine herbicides used to control weeds in agricultural and non-agricultural settings
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Mosquitoes and Schools
Some mosquito species can carry diseases. Learn how to reduce the chances of being bitten.
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Digital Accessibility
Federal laws, including Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, mandate that people with disabilities have access to the same information that someone without a disability. Section 508 standards impact Information and Communication Technology (ICT).