Moss Landing battery fire activists protest Senator John Laird

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Activists from the group Never Again Moss Landing met today in Monterey to protest for the attention of Senator John Laird.

The group today joined with posters holding signs that read, "John is Gone" as well as could be heard chanting the same phrase.

Members of the group said that the Senator is disregarding the ongoing health, financial and environmental crisis that has resulted from the Vistra Fire Disaster last January.

Officials from Laird's office were in attendance and provided a statement from the senator:

"The Moss Landing battery storage fire was a serious incident that can and should never happen again... I have remained actively engaged—working alongside regulatory agencies like CA EPA, DTSC, CDPH, and local officials to demand transparency, implement stronger safety measures, and a thorough investigation into the potential causes of the fire."

Senator Laird also introduced a bill called the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025.

"I recognize the deep concerns this incident has raised, and I share the urgency in ensuring accountability and long-term safety for communities that host battery storage facilities. That’s why I introduced SB 283, the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025, which is backed by our state's firefighters and electrical workers, to enhance safety standards for battery storage facilities across the state," said John Laird in a statement.

The hope from the protest was to have local elected officials provide transparency and guidance to all residents of the city regarding the documented health issues that the fire caused, testing protocols and trying to secure funding from the state.

Other outcomes the protesters want include, air, soil and water quality measure and monitoring, as well as legal requirements to prevent such a disaster form happening again.