“That requirement will apply statewide because we never want another community to spend a summer with rants in their playgrounds where the children should be playing,” González said. “We need to turn the lessons of Boyle Heights into action that protects communities across California.”
According to the assemblyman, his bill has received pushback from some members of the business community, who worried about impacts to their warehouse operations. González insisted the bill is not about shutting down businesses, but rather ensuring that residents aren’t left paying the price if something goes wrong.
In addition to his bill, the assemblyman added he and Durazo were able to make significant headway in acquiring millions of dollars in state funding for Boyle Heights and East L.A. They are working alongside their colleagues in the state legislature to bring $1 million for mobile health clinics, $2 million for LA County Public Health for Lineage fire cleanup and remediation, and $4.5 million to the YMCA of Los Angeles for emergency food and resource assistance, they said.
The funding is expected to be part of an appropriation bill that is likely to be signed at the end of September, according to state officials. Though it will be sometime before the money gets to organizations and disbursed to impacted residents.
Durazo said her bill seeks to establish a $1,000 fine for a first environmental violation notice, followed by a $2,000 fine, and a $5,000 fine for each violation after than, and up to a $50,000 fine per violation when tied to a declared disaster. She emphasized the fine structure has not been updated in 1983 — that’s about 43 years.