Toxic debris from the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfire was discussed on Tuesday at the Venice Neighborhood Council meeting.
Ashley Oelsen from Santa Monica’s Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice and the Environment delivered a presentation on post-fire beach and ocean water quality during the board meeting held at Westminster Avenue Elementary School.
‘This is the largest lithium battery recovery effort in history,’ Oelsen said during the Public Safety Reports portion of the meeting.
Oelsen said there was a lack of information regarding water quality and environmental impacts from the Palisades Fire that began burning on January 7 and killed 12 people and destroyed 6,837 structures before being fully contained on January 31.
‘I have noticed that people don’t want to set panic through the community, but I say, don’t go into the water,’ Oelsen said.
‘Don’t walk on it barefoot, don’t walk on the debris, don’t have kids around it. It’s loaded with asbestos and heavy metals and a variety of other chemicals,’ she added.
Oelsen said she has taken sand, ash and water samples and sent them to labs for testing.
She also informed the board on the process for sorting and disposing of lithium batteries, including those from solar power walls and Tesla vehicles.
‘So, a lot of my questions surrounded contamination. What if there is an accident? What about being so close to the water? This seems like the most asinine place to put a toxic waste sorting site,’ Oelsen said.
Oelsen said she was told by federal officials that the lithium battery removal would take 30 to 60 days to complete and the long-term cleanup of hazardous waste would take several months.
The VNC board during its meeting also approved a resolution drafted by board president Brian Averill addressing post-fire environmental concerns.
It stated: ‘Whereas the recent devastating wildfires have left the LA streets and landscape covered with a multitude of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, hazardous materials, ash and fire debris; Whereas the EPA and FEMA, against strong public opposition, have chosen to use the beach lots along our coast to sort through the aforementioned toxic material; Whereas the recent heavy rainstorms have washed an enormous amount of this toxic material down to our coastline; Whereas our beaches are now covered with hazardous fire debris and black sludge; Whereas no significant water/beach testing information has been released to the public; The Venice Neighborhood Council strongly urges that this environmental catastrophe be taken seriously, with an immediate plan to fund, test, share information, and protect our coastal environment and the millions of people who enjoy it.’
The resolution will be sent to all LA City Council members and Mayor Karen Bass.
The board meeting opened with a moment of silence in remembrance of Emily Winters, a muralist and co-founder of the Venice Arts Council. Winters, a native of Quincy, Illinois, died on December 28 in Venice at age 88.
Winters moved to Venice in 1963 and her 1989-1990 mural Endangered Species was painted on the Venice Beach Boardwalk at Ocean Front Walk and Park Avenue. The sweeping, powerful piece focused on the working class amid gentrification and grinding technology.
The mural is currently covered by graffiti and it was suggested that a fundraiser be held to clean the mural.
Carmen Chang, the new General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), also was in attendance and spoke at the board meeting.
She told the board that the decision to offer only vote-by-mail for this year’s VNC election was made by the City Council after consulting with the City Clerk’s office that oversees elections.
The Office of the City Clerk has a website on How To Vote in the upcoming election and the deadline to return ballots is March 18.
Board member Christopher Lee gave an update on the VNC election and said 250 people so far have registered as voters.
An in-person candidate meet and greet will be held Sunday (February 23) at the Venice Heritage Museum at 5:30 p.m. followed by a Zoom virtual Candidate Town Hall on Tuesday (February 25) at 6:30 p.m. moderated by community leader Naomi Nightingale . The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85629247080
The board meeting included a crime and safety update from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Senior Lead Officer Samuel Gil.
Gil said police manpower throughout West Los Angeles was shifted to the Palisades for three weeks due to the fire, but the California Highway Patrol has since taken over traffic control.
There was an overall crime reduction in the January-February period in Venice, but burglaries increased from six to 13, Gil said. He also noted a 53 percent decrease in all crimes in the Oakwood area.
Gil also said the death of Jerramie Stubbs, 44, of Chandler, Arizona, whose body was found near the Venice Beach Boardwalk on February 5, was apparently caused by a drug overdose.
‘Straight-forward overdose according to the paramedics who arrived on scene and the coroner will do the final report on that,’ Gil said.
-Paul Chavez, Venice Dispatch