Echoing a similar push from the state last month, several area lawmakers have called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reverse its policy against soil testing after the wildfires, arguing that such testing is vital for public health.

But FEMA is standing pat on the agency’s refusal to test the soil.

In a letter to FEMA’s acting administrator Cameron Hamilton, dated Wednesday, March 26, the lawmakers voiced “serious concern” over the agency’s decision to not conduct soil sampling in the Palisades and Eaton fire burn zones as part of the debris-removal underway in those areas.

“FEMA’s refusal to test for toxins in the soil after wildfire cleanup in Los Angeles County is unacceptable,” Friedman said in a separate statement. “Families deserve to know their homes are safe and free of dangerous chemicals. This is a break from decades of FEMA precedent — and it risks exposing entire communities to long-term health threats.”

“Comprehensive soil testing is essential to ensuring the safety of wildfire survivors returning home,” lawmakers wrote, noting that “follow up soil sampling has been standard procedure after nearly every major wildfire in California for the past two decades.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Laura Friedman, D-Burbank; Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks; Ted Lieu, D-Manhattan Beach; Nanette Diaz Barragán, D-Long Beach; George Whitesides, D-Santa Clarita; Julia Brownley, D-Thousand Oaks; Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach and Luz Rivas, D-Arleta.

Of those, Sherman’s district, which includes the Palisades, was most impacted by that fire.

The lawmakers cited steps taken in the wake of the catastrophic 2023 fire in Lahaina, where they said FEMA conducted additional soil testing for toxic contaminants.

They also noted that during the cleanup of the 2018 Camp fire, which pummeled the town of Paradise in Northern California, soil testing was conducted on nearly 13,000 properties. Of these, more than 4,000 properties still had toxic chemicals in the soil, including lead and arsenic.

“The residents of greater Los Angeles should be informed of any potential toxins in the soil as they navigate the complicated recovery process. Wildfire survivors deserve to return to safe, toxin-free properties,” they wrote.

The pressure on FEMA comes after the agenda reportedly rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s similar request. California officials say data shows that contamination from wildfires can go deeper than 6 inches in topsoil. Several residents in both fire scars have voiced concerns over the potential for such contamination.

But FEMA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have repeatedly pushed back, saying clean-up teams would not test the soil. The agency has said the practice is inefficient and impeded cleanup times. Officials from both sides of the political spectrum have touted the timing of the debris removal in L.A. County. In the case of the Phase 1 removal of hazardous household waste, they say it was done in record time.

This week FEMA officials continued the official stance against such testing, noting that over the past seven years, in contrast to past practice, the agency has not funded soil testing on sites impacted by fires.

“In consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA has consistently determined that removing the top 3-6 inches of soil beneath fire debris is sufficient to address fire-related contamination and protect public health,” said Brandi Richard Thompson, a FEMA spokesperson.

Thompson noted that the Lahaina wildfire “presented a unique situation” because of its location in a densely developed area with a significant industrial and commercial footprint. Due to a lack of historical wildfire soil data in the Pacific, FEMA approved “targeted soil testing” at the request of the Hawaii Department of Health.

Testing results showed that contamination was primarily due to preexisting conditions, not the fire itself.

Federal officials have repeatedly noted such pre-existing conditions in refusing to do the testing.

“FEMA acknowledges and appreciates the concerns raised by lawmakers and remains committed to working with federal, state, and local partners to support disaster-impacted communities,” according to a FEMA statement. “We continue to engage with stakeholders to provide clarity on FEMA’s role in wildfire recovery while maintaining practices that prioritize public health and safety.