Moss Landing Resources
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I know some of you have lingering concerns and questions. I want to take this opportunity to provide an update on what my office has done and continues to do to ensure accountability, safety, and long-term solutions for our community.
Below, you’ll find details on my new legislation, the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025 supported by California’s firefighters and electrical workers, aimed at strengthening battery storage safety, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions section to help clarify key concerns raised by the community.
It continues to be my honor to represent you in the State Senate.
Warm Regards,
JOHN LAIRD
Senator, 17th District
Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025:
Last week I introduced the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025, SB 283, alongside the CA Professional Firefighters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to increase battery storage safety standards. The bill mandates that new facilities adhere to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855 standards – the most comprehensive and widely recognized guidelines for battery storage safety and hazard mitigation. SB 283 provides a crucial tool and safeguard to ensure battery storage facilities are built and maintained with the highest level of safety and oversight by our local fire officials.
*See full video of Senator Laird explaining SB 283 HERE*
Response & Community Engagement:
1. At the incident command center in Moss Landing the day after the fire occurred alongside CA Energy Commission Chair David Hochshild to get updates and information on the fire.
2. Visited the Castroville Resource Center as a local nonprofit distributed gift cards to affected residents to speak directly with impacted individuals.
3. Engaged with industry experts and community stakeholders to explore advancements in battery storage safety and identify best practices for protecting local communities.
4. Spoke about my efforts on battery storage safety at the Monterey County Board of Supervisors Legislative Workshop held in February.
Policy Advocacy
1. Supported the CPUC’s March 2025 safety standards vote to implement SB 38 (Laird, 2023).
2. Held high-level discussions with state agency and department heads to assess ongoing efforts and to help ensure a coordinated response to this issue.
3. Supported the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors five recommendations from their Ad Hoc committee regarding the Moss Landing BESS incident.
Ongoing Efforts:
1. Working to coordinate and secure ongoing funding for monitoring and testing in the Elkhorn Slough.
2. Partnering with local, state, and federal officials to continue coordination of battery delinking and debris removal.
3. Pushing for expedited cleanup and debris removal while maintaining safety for frontline workers.
4. Continuing to communicate relevant information regarding Moss Landing through my monthly newsletter and amplifying the County of Monterey’s Moss Landing website as a source of accurate information.
5. Advocating for more state resources to investigate the causes of this fire alongside Asm. Pellerin and Asm. Addis.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How are state resources being allocated to assist with the Moss Landing fire?
My team and I have been in continuous communication with state agencies, including the California Energy Commission (CEC), California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to ensure they are providing the state support.
Additionally, we work closely with local officials to amplify their requests at the state level and advocate for further resources. This includes helping to secure outside funding for Moss Landing Marine Labs to conduct environmental testing. My office will continue to ensure coordination between state and local agencies to effectively respond to this issue.
2. How can the public be sure battery storage infrastructure is safe both now, and in the future?
Like any emerging technology, energy storage continues to evolve and improve. In California, 75% of battery storage facilities already use newer, safer technology, while only 25%—including Moss Landing—still operate with older systems. Battery storage is necessary to store the excess solar and wind energy we produce, and helps California’s grid manage through peak usage events. This saves ratepayers money.
Expanding battery storage is essential as California moves away from fossil fuels and works to maintain a reliable, clean energy grid, especially as new industries like AI dramatically increase electricity demand.
It’s important to acknowledge that no energy source is without risk, and that we must do everything we can to ensure communities stay safe. In just the first two months of this year, we’ve seen:
● A refinery fire in Martinez linked to fossil fuel operations,
● Utility-related fires in Los Angeles, and
● The Moss Landing battery storage fire.
This isn’t a partisan political issue as Texas, a fossil fuel-heavy state, is aggressively expanding battery storage to stabilize its grid. The solution isn’t to halt progress but to improve oversight, invest in the safest available technologies, and enforce strong regulations.
3. What is being done to address the health concerns of residents?
Anyone experiencing potential health effects should seek medical advice from licensed healthcare professionals and report symptoms to their County Public Health Department.
To better assess the potential health impacts of the Moss Landing fire, a tri-county community health survey was conducted, gathering over 1,500 responses from individuals who both did and did not experience symptoms. These findings will help inform state and local responses moving forward of any emerging health patterns across our region of approximately 750,000 residents.
4. Where can I find consistently updated information on the Moss Landing fire response?
As state agencies also grapple with their response to the Los Angeles area fires from early January, we are working to ensure the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the Department of Public Health coordinate and communicate with the county. The County of Monterey’s new dashboard will also consolidate all available testing results and response updates. This effort ensures the public has direct access to verified information from official sources.
Testing Information & Results
Click Here
County of Monterey FAQ
Click Here