Governor Issues Emergency Proclamation over Porter Ranch Gas Leak

California has declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles suburb following a leak of methane natural gas from a well at the Aliso Canyon near Porter Ranch. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also called the situation an “ongoing environmental disaster” and said the city was “doing everything in its power to help residents cope” with the leak’s effects. Plaintiffs say millions of cubic feet of methane and other toxic chemicals including benzene have leaked from a natural gas well at SoCalGas’ Aliso Canyon storage field north of the Porter Ranch neighborhood in northwestern San Fernando Valley.

SoCal Gas maintains more than 160 of the roughly 340 active gas storage wells in the state.

The Porter Ranch gas leak has been one of the worst disasters to hit Southern California in the past several decades, with its long-term outlook still unknown. Brown’s proclamation says that the gas company will be responsible for funding projects to cut greenhouse gas pollution and offset the methane emitted from the leaking well.

The governor toured the facility and met with residents earlier this week. “We are asking these agencies to provide the Committee with specific information as to how this leak is being addressed at the federal level so that the thousands of families affected finally get the answers they deserve”. As long as California needs natural gas, the state has an obligation to strictly regulate operations to protect residents.

The well is spewing about 30,000 kilograms of methane per hour, according to the most recent estimates available by the Air Resources Board. Workers are drilling a relief well that will allow them to pump heavy fluids and mud into the ground to stop the leak. The company has warned the leak may not be plugged until the end of March. The leaking well didn’t have a working safety valve, which could have stopped the flow of gas once a problem was discovered.

Oil and gas regulators and the state Public Utilities Commission are investigating what caused the well failure and whether it involved any violations by the gas company.

The state had already prohibited SoCal Gas from injecting any more gas into the facility.

In the meantime, the company is installing large mesh screens around the leak site to try and hinder the oily mist from spraying down the community.

The leak has forced people from their homes and students from area schools.