Complaints pour in over Army Corps’ Los Angeles fire cleanup efforts
A recent analysis reveals that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received over 800 complaints in less than three months regarding their wildfire cleanup efforts in Los Angeles, California. Property owners have expressed frustration that federal contractors failed to properly remove debris, including car parts, broken trees, damaged foundations, and contaminated pool water.Complaints also highlight that contractors did not fully follow guidelines, such as removing ash-covered soil and excavating to the required depth. Even though more than 9,000 properties have been cleared in what officials call the fastest wildfire recovery in modern history, many victims argue that the speed compromised the quality of cleanup. The limited scope of work-focused only on the “structural ash footprint” around homes-led to confusion and dissatisfaction, as debris outside these areas was often left behind. Experts note a lack of formal standards for environmental safety in such disasters, allowing inconsistent cleanup practices.homeowners feel the cleanup process has added to their trauma following the fires.
Complaints pour in over Army Corps’ Los Angeles fire cleanup efforts
Hundreds of complaints have piled up against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in less than three months for failing to remove wildfire debris or follow protocols properly, according to a new analysis that looked into more than 800 California-based grievances.
The complaints were submitted to an Army Corps of Engineers hotline between March and mid-May and obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Property owners in some cases took issue with contractors hired by the federal government, claiming they were ill-equipped for the job and left behind everything from car parts to broken trees, damaged home foundations, and even contaminated pool water, all of which should have been removed.
Some frustrated residents claimed the contractors didn’t follow their own guidelines, including failing to remove ash-covered soil and not excavating to the depth required by the Army Corps.
In six months, federal contractors have cleared more than 9,000 properties in Los Angeles County, the fastest wildfire recovery in modern history. While elected officials have celebrated the speed, victims’ complaints seem to suggest that at least some of the cleanup effort came at the expense of quality.
“There are no formal standards and requirements after a disaster like this, when it comes to environmental safety and cleanup,” Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University professor who studies natural disasters, told the Los Angeles Times. “There are recommendations and guidelines. But that allows people … to choose not to follow them.”
Cleanup efforts following the devastating wildfires had seemed clear-cut, but homeowners said they were caught off guard by how limited the cleanup’s scope was.
For example, the Army Corps said its workers would remove toxic ash and wreckage from destroyed structures and extract up to 6 inches of topsoil. However, the cleanup efforts were limited to the “structural ash footprint,” which meant a few feet surrounding a charred home. So, any debris that fell on driveways, patios, and nearby sidewalks, as well as on lawns, gardens, and pools, was not included. Because these plans were not made public, property owners often were confused about the scope of the cleanup efforts.
Internal documents obtained by the news outlet indicated that contractors also felt confused about what they were supposed to take away and what stayed.
Some of the most severe cases included a March 23 call to the hotline. A homeowner complained that a contractor told them that “part of their house is outside of the ash footprint.” The federally hired contractor claimed that a 12-by-6-foot room inside the house was actually part of the patio and therefore not eligible.
A May 6 property owner seemed frustrated and asked for the Army Corps to come back out after a contractor refused to remove a hallway that connected his home to his garage. Another homeowner said contractors would not remove the front steps and entryway to his charred home.
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“We’re already traumatized,” the person said. “This is adding to the trauma.”
The Washington Examiner contacted the Army Corps of Engineers for comment.
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