ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
The Moss Landing Battery Fire started in January 2025 spewing tons of toxins into the air, sparking major controversy, activism, and community science for the thousands affected by it in Monterey County, CA.

SYNOPSIS
On January 16, 2025, a massive fire erupted at the Vistra Moss Landing Battery Plant, the largest lithium-ion battery energy storage facility in the world. Toxic smoke spread across communities in Northern Monterey County, exposing thousands to hazardous chemicals. Residents immediately began reporting symptoms like nausea, burning eyes, and a strange metallic taste in the mouth, yet official agencies claimed the air was safe.

LITHIUM ON FIRE is a feature-length documentary that investigates environmental and health consequences of the fire, failures in emergency response, and the broader implications of battery storage or BESS facilities in the transition to renewable energy. At the heart of the story is the grassroots coalition Never Again Moss Landing, a group with over 6,000 members founded by five local residents who mobilized in the absence of government accountability.

The film features interviews with environmental and public health experts, legal advocates, including Erin Brockovich, and the impacted community itself. As lawsuits unfold and scientific testing continues, the documentary captures the deeply human side of an environmental health crisis.

Leading the project is director Emily Frances Cohan, a documentary filmmaker with 20 years of experience in video production, a background in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, and a commitment to capturing complex stories with clarity, beauty, and emotional depth. Her first feature-length documentary, Love, Light, and Metal: The Making of Entwined, gave audiences an intimate look at the lives and creative process behind a large-scale, interactive, metal and light sculpture in San Francisco, CA.

Your support will help fund production, post, and distribution, bringing this urgent story to the screens and conversations it deserves. With your help, LITHIUM ON FIRE can ignite action, awareness, and lasting change.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Emily Frances Cohan
PRODUCER Emily Frances Cohan, Aaron Peirano Garrison

ID: 720