Environmental Health continues to test samples near Vistra fire site
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The County of Monterey's Environmental Health received an update on testing samples near the sight of the Vistra Energy fire in Moss Landing.
Environmental Health has been collecting and testing soil and water samples from the Moss Landing area since Friday. The update comes after a separate soil test from San Jose State University's Moss Landing Marine Lab found high levels of heavy metal nanoparticles within the marsh soils at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve.
County of Monterey's Environmental Health director Ricardo Encarnacion says they are still awaiting the results of their water and soil samples.
“I’d also like the public to know that we’re not done. Whether we find - have findings or nothing to report by this Friday, we are not done," Encarnacion said.
As for testing beyond Moss Landing, Encarnacion stated that it may prove difficult to pinpoint other heavy metal particulates. That is due to how they attach to other materials on the ground.
“That is kind of where we would take in all of these different data points and factors to point us in the direction of where to look and how far to look," Encarnacion said. "It does get more difficult the farther out you are from the fire to associate what you find out in the field could be associated to the fire.”
