LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger to send a five-signature letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and the Los Angeles County legislative delegation in support of a proposed expedited closure of the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Facility.
This action includes immediate direction to the California Public Utilities Commission and the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources to accelerate a permanent closure plan.
“With today’s motion, the county continues to fight for the communities impacted by the Aliso Canyon gas leak,” Supervisor Barger said. “It has become clear that the only way to ensure this community’s protection is to call on our state leaders to expeditiously and safely close the Aliso Canyon well.”
The blowout and subsequent leak at Aliso Canyon in 2015 was the largest release of natural gas in American history, which caused the relocation of thousands of residents, students and vulnerable populations. As a result of the leak, 97,000 metric tons of methane and 7,300 metric tons of ethane were released into the atmosphere.
Since the leak, the County of Los Angeles has fought for enhanced safety regulations and oversight at all natural gas storage facilities. L.A. County partnered with the State of California and the City of Los Angeles on a $119 million legal settlement with the Southern California Gas Company that will provide for a health effects study in the North San Fernando Valley. Supervisor Barger has secured open space adjacent to the facility to help prevent further encroachment and pushed for a comprehensive root cause analysis, which found major faults with the Gas Company and the regulators who oversee the facility.