Rendon calls on the Department of Toxic Substances Control to act swiftly to restore the safety and quality of life for thousands of residents.
(Sacramento) - Assembly Speaker-Elect Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) issued the following statement regarding today's legislative hearings on the cleanup of contamination from the Exide battery plan in Vernon:
"Exide has polluted our communities for decades, spewing lead, arsenic, benzene and other poisonous chemicals from its facility in Vernon. It has contaminated our air, our soil and our communities.
"While I was glad to hear last year that the Exide plant would close permanently, we must now make sure Exide cleans up the mess it has left in our communities. The Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) must quickly evaluate the scope of the contamination and clean up all affected communities - including those in the Southeast downstream from Exide.
"I'm proud today to stand with Assemblymember Miguel Santiago and Supervisor Hilda Solis to call on DTSC to act swiftly to restore the safety and quality of life for thousands of residents we represent."
Rendon is serving in his second term representing the 63rd Assembly District, which includes the cities and communities of Bell, Cudahy, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, North Long Beach, Lynwood, Maywood, Paramount, and South Gate.
Website of Speaker-elect Rendon: www.asmdc.org/anthony-rendon
Below are links to audio of Speaker-elect Rendon:
Opening remarks from Speaker-elect Anthony Rendon at today's news conference. (1:05)
Speaker-elect Rendon says the Exide plant has been a major polluter for more than 30 years. (:10)
Speaker-elect Rendon says the state DTSC has not done a good job dealing with the Exide contamination. (:12)
Speaker-elect Rendon says the top clean up priority should be the homes closest to the Exide plant. (:22)
Remarks from Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) at today's news conference. (:47)
For more information on the latest news from the Assembly Democratic Caucus click here http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/
or call Don Andrews at the Speaker's Office of Member Services at (916) 319-3800