Researchers discovered dangerously high levels of heavy metals at a nearby estuary that is home to multiple endangered species, only days after one of the biggest lithium ion battery storage facilities in the world caught fire in Monterey County.
Following the recent incident at the adjacent Moss Landing Power Plant, researchers from San Jos State University found that soil samples from the Elkhorn Slough Reserve had a sharply higher concentration of nickel, manganese, and cobalt—materials used in lithium ion batteries.
According to Ivano Aiello, chair of the university’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, the toxic metals pose a threat to the fragile ecosystem at the Elkhorn Slough, the second-largest estuary in the state and a vital component in storing carbon emissions and shielding the coastline from sea level rise.
Aiello, who has spent over ten years keeping an eye on the slough’s environmental conditions, expressed surprise at the findings.
When measured on the soil’s surface, the concentrations of nickel, manganese, and cobalt are hundreds to thousands of times higher than those detected deeper in the soil or before the fire.
“I wanted to know if there was anything related to this fire that might have been affected,” Aiello added. I had no idea that those metals would be found in such high concentration.
Glenn Church, the supervisor of Monterey County, described the results as “extremely disturbing” on Tuesday and expressed concern about what more information would show about the effects of the historic fire. The facility is located on the coast approximately 18 miles north of Monterey. The fire started on January 16 and lasted for five days, eventually destroying an estimated 80% of the batteries within.
In a statement released Monday, Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) expressed her profound alarm over the levels of heavy metals in one of our most treasured and delicate ecosystems.
According to her, there is a direct connection between these concentrations and the battery energy storage fire.
Vistra Energy, based in Texas, is the owner of the battery storage facility. According to a spokeswoman on Tuesday, the business was aware of the data from San Jos State and would collaborate with regional health organizations to decide on the best course of action. According to the spokeswoman, Vistra is also finishing up its own investigation into the fire and environmental monitoring near the plant.
Due to the fire, the Elkhorn Slough Reserve and the residential neighborhoods surrounding the power station were under evacuation orders, and the reserve was closed to the public from January 17 to January 21. Visitors can now enter.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first air quality analysis found that the amounts of particulate matter and hydrogen fluoride gas produced during the incident did not represent a risk to public health. Lithium ion battery fires release hydrogen fluoride, a highly poisonous gas that can burn skin and eyes and seriously harm the respiratory system.
The EPA does not intend to test the soil or water; instead, state and local health organizations are doing so.
In addition to expressing gratitude for the testing done by Aiello’s team, the Monterey County Health Department announced Monday that it would be presenting initial findings from its own soil and water samples later this week.
The agency stated that it was collaborating with state epidemiologists, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California agency of Public Health to review the findings, identify any possible health risks, and decide on the best course of action.
According to Aiello, soil tests from San Jos State indicate that the toxic fire may have long-term repercussions on the ecosystem and human health.
In order to gather information and comprehend the potential effects of heavy metals on the ecosystem, his lab is currently operating in emergency mode. Since January 22, researchers have taken soil samples from over 100 sites within a two-mile radius of the plant.
The soil currently has a covering of heavy metals, and I’m not sure what will happen. Will it be removed by washing? Will it be able to reach the groundwater? Will it bioaccumulate and concentrate? “I said.” Before we can truly comprehend the ramifications, we must first learn that.
More than 700 plant, animal, and marine species can be found in the Elkhorn Slough, including threatened and endangered species like the California brown pelican, the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, and the southern sea otter.
Large volumes of carbon are stored in its marshes, reducing the effects of climate change. Additionally, the estuary mitigates the effects of sea level rise and stops coastal erosion.
According to Supervisor Church, the fire calls into question whether the plant ought to be situated close to an area that is environmentally sensitive. Last week, he and other board members passed a resolution requesting that the battery storage facility be kept closed until a comprehensive investigation was finished and new safety precautions were put in place.
Following the fire, Assemblymember Addis proposed new legislation that would mandate that local governments have a say in battery or energy storage facility permits and create a buffer to keep these locations a certain distance from hospitals, schools, and natural areas.
In a statement, she stated that real climate solutions must help, not hurt, our communities and the environment. We must keep up our efforts to ensure that neighborhood voices are heard and that battery energy storage installations are located properly.
Her proposal, Assembly Bill 303, has been criticized by the American Clean Power Association, which claims it places too burdensome limitations on the clean energy sector.
According to a statement from ACP-California Executive Director Alex Jackson, the state of California can best promote safety by implementing and enforcing the most recent version of the national fire protection standard for battery energy storage. This proposal falls short. It would be more difficult to keep the lights on in California due to its extensive limitations.
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