Moss Landing Fire: Vistra and EPA Finalize Battery Cleanup Deal

EPA and Vistra Reach Agreement to Address Fire-Damaged Batteries

Six months after a fire broke out at Vistra’s battery plant in Moss Landing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the company to remove and dispose of batteries affected by the incident. The agreement, signed last week, outlines specific steps for Vistra to safely handle the damaged lithium-ion batteries under the EPA’s supervision.

The fire, which initially caused significant damage, led to a flare-up on February 18, just over a month later. This event highlighted the ongoing risks posed by the damaged batteries. Kazami Brockman, an on-scene coordinator for the EPA during a recent press briefing in Monterey County, expressed empathy for the community’s experience. “I want to start by saying that I know this incident has had a big impact on the community and I sympathize with the community for all they’ve had to endure during and after the fire,” he said. Brockman emphasized the EPA’s collaboration with local and state authorities to address concerns related to the incident.

According to the news release, Vistra will be responsible for removing the damaged batteries, ensuring their safe transport, and either disposing of or recycling them. The company must submit detailed plans to the EPA and implement comprehensive safety measures throughout the cleanup process. Additionally, Vistra is required to engage with the community to foster meaningful public participation during the removal phase.

If the cleanup does not meet EPA standards, the agency has the authority to take over the process and charge Vistra for the costs. Once all batteries are removed safely, oversight will transition to state and local authorities for any remaining on-site cleaning activities.

Vistra will also be required to implement air monitoring and sampling around the plant site during the removal process. An EPA-approved emergency response plan will be put in place, along with the continued presence of a private firefighting company on-site 24/7. Additional air monitoring and sampling may be required at the EPA’s discretion.

The facility contains approximately 100,000 lithium-ion batteries, with about 55% of them damaged in the fire. David Yeager, director of project development for Vistra, noted that the process will take multiple months, with the current phase being just the beginning. “We do anticipate this process to occur over a length of time as outlined, so it’ll be multiple months of effort there and this is just the initial phase,” he said.

Now that the agreement is official, Vistra will gain access to previously inaccessible parts of the building to conduct physical inspections of systems within the Moss 300 building. Yeager described the effort as a collaborative one, involving the EPA and other agencies. “It’s been a very collaborative effort between the EPA in particular and all the other state and local agencies, just to have a very thoughtful plan put together that we can all agree to that does prioritize worker safety and environmental safety as we work toward this kind of complex removal process and multi-phased approach.”

Monterey County maintains a dedicated webpage for updates on the fire and its aftermath. The progress of the response and removal process can also be tracked on the EPA and Vistra websites.