"LOS ANGELES — Just over a mile from where Patricia Flores has lived for almost 20 years, a battery smelter plant spewed toxic elements into the environment for nearly a century.

Exide Technologies in southeast Los Angeles polluted thousands of properties with lead and contributed to groundwater contamination with trichloroethylene, or TCE, a cancer-causing chemical.

Since Exide declared bankruptcy in 2020, California has invested more than $770 million to clean the various properties. But much more cleanup is needed, and with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, those efforts are uncertain.

“The groundwater that was found to have TCE is spreading,” said Flores in Spanish. “It’s not just going to affect us – other people will also be impacted by the contamination. And it is worrying that we won’t be added to the priority list for the cleanup to be done.”"

Dorany Pineda reports for the Associated Press February 15, 2025. [2]