California residents sickened and forced to evacuate their homes in the biggest methane gas leak in state history voiced their frustrations at a public meeting on Friday, with many saying they opposed the resumption of work at the natural gas facility.
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LOS ANGELES Southern California air quality officials on Saturday delayed plans to capture and burn off natural gas leaking from an underground well near an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood, citing the possible risk of a fire. Though the chances of Porter Ranch residents developing cancer from the amount of benzene presented by the leak is very slim (a million to one), says one expert from UC Berkeley, “studies have shown that exposure of eight hours a day, up to seven days a week, may result in decreasing blood cell counts or other early markers of benzene toxicity”, says the LADN.
Gov. Jerry Brown has declared an emergency.
Some environmentalists are calling it the worst USA environmental disaster since the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
SoCalGas has run up more than $50m (£35m) in costs so far trying to contain the leak and relocate about 4,500 families.
To stop the leak, the company is drilling a relief well about 8,500 feet beneath the surface, but that isn’t expected to finish until March.
A letter from the commission to the company included a warning that damage to the well system, which was subjected to two months of aggressive high-pressure pumping to try to plug the leak that began in October, might now permit air to mix with methane in a way that “could be catastrophic”.
Southern California Gas Co has said stopping the leak is its highest priority and is committed to working with the community.
“The federal Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of proposing methane emission standards for new oil and gas facilities”, he said, “and what we need them to do is extend those requirements to existing facilities”. About 300 people packed the forum at a Granada Hills school, with about a quarter of those speaking out – many venting about the company and regulators. John Cadiz-Klemack reports for Today in LA on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016.
Protesting residents hold signs during a hearing over a gas leak at the Southern California Gas Co.
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Residents in Southern California and in Washington, D.C. planned to rally over the months-long gas leak in Porter Ranch.
