Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief disaster officer on Wednesday urged the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to reconsider its decision to forgo post-cleanup soil testing for the Los Angeles County wildfires.
The request drew a swift response from FEMA: No.
Federal contractors are removing wildfire debris and a 6-inch layer of topsoil from properties burned in the Eaton and Palisades fires. But FEMA said last week that it would not order soil testing , a long-standing approach to ensure properties meet California safety standards for toxic chemicals…