Speaker Rendon hails passage of bills to fund clean up toxic waste from Exide battery plant
SACRAMENTO—Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) released the following statement after the passage of Assembly Bill 118 and Senate Bill 93 to appropriate funding toward cleanup of the Exide battery plant:
“For decades, Exide spewed lead, arsenic, benzene and other poisonous chemicals from its facility in Vernon. It contaminated our air, our soil, and our communities, and the response to identifying and removing that toxic contamination has been disturbingly slow.
“We have to act. That’s what we’re doing with today’s actions.
“The loan funds in the legislation will speed up the testing and cleanup process for thousands of homes affected by Exide and makes sure the state will go after Exide to get back the money that is spent cleaning up their mess.
“I thank my colleague Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, Senate pro Tem Kevin de Leon and Governor Brown for showing strong leadership in addressing the urgency of this issue.
“While the toxic damage has already taken a toll on our communities, the action we are taking today will go a long way toward restoring the safety and quality of life for the residents harmed by the poisons that Exide dumped on them.
“Passing today’s legislation is a good step forward. But let me assure you it will not be the last step. We will continue to push at every level until this contamination is cleaned up.”
Speaker Anthony Rendon represents 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.