Why AB 1642 and Pre-Build Soils Testing Matters to All California Residents....

As AB 1642 moves toward committee next week, communities across California are watching closely. The bill represents an important step toward establishing statewide standards for determining when homes, schools, and workplaces are safe to reenter after wildfire. For families who have lived through the uncertainty of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, this kind of clarity is essential.

At 301 Organics, we’ve spent the past year working directly in the Eaton Fire impacted zone, testing, providing treatment and studying how soils change over time and how contaminants behave during recovery. Throughout this process, we’ve been closely aligned with and collaborating alongside the Eaton Fire Recovery Unit (EFRU) team, sharing data trends, on‑the‑ground observations, and regulatory insights that can help inform public‑health decisions.

What we’ve observed in the soil over the past year across dozens of properties and hundreds of samples:

• Contaminants persist in open soils long after debris removal, especially metals and petroleum hydrocarbons.

• Ground disturbance plays a major role in how contaminants move. Grading, trenching, and construction activity can re‑mobilize contaminated particulates and spread them across parcels.

• Timing matters. Soil treatments are most effective when applied BEFORE major disturbance, when the contamination profile is still intact and easier to address.

• Baseline testing supports public health and transparency. Establishing conditions early helps homeowners, workers, and agencies understand what’s present and how best to manage it.

  
  

These insights have been shared regularly with EFRU and community partners to support a coordinated, science‑based approach to recovery.

How This Connects to AB 1642

AB 1642 aims to create a consistent statewide framework for post‑wildfire contamination testing—something California has never had. This framework will help ensure that residents returning home after a fire have clear, protective standards guiding the process.

As part of our collaboration with EFRU, 301 Organics has been contributing field data, regulatory context, and practical observations to help highlight how outdoor soils behave during the earliest phases of rebuilding. These insights are relevant to the broader conversation about public health, worker safety, and long‑term community resilience.

Our goal is simple: to ensure that the lived experiences and real‑world conditions observed in the 2025 burn areas help inform the implementation of AB 1642 in a way that supports safe, transparent, and equitable recovery for all Californians.

A Call to Californians

AB 1642 is an important opportunity to strengthen wildfire recovery statewide. Residents, community groups, and professionals across California can help demonstrate broad public support for establishing clear, science‑based standards.

At 301 Organics, we strongly urge you to add your name in support of AB 1642. You can sign on here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe31IYlEmc0SNpRuherJqON8CMqDxK4tndHWed2HwHRzpSpGw/viewform

Your voice helps ensure that recovery efforts reflect the needs and realities of the communities most affected.

Thank you in advance for your support!