Assemblyman calls for investigation into Porter Ranch gas leak

California Assemblyman Mike Gatto plans to use his status as newly-appointed chairman of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee to head up a probe into the natural gas leak coming from a storage field near Porter Ranch.

Several local and state agencies are investigating the massive natural gas leak near the Porter Ranch community. The city of Los Angeles, the South Coast Air Quality District and state oil and gas regulators have inquiries pending.

But Gatto stated his investigation would be different.

"What could the legislature do better? What could the California Public Utilities Commission do better? What sort of rules should we mandate?" Gatto asked on Tuesday.

Gatto also said he wanted answers to how promptly residents who moved away to avoid the smell and health issues would be compensated for temporary housing expenses. He said he also wanted to know whether exposure to chemicals from the leak is causing serious health concerns among residents.

The leak at Porter Ranch occurred on Oct. 23 on a 3,600-acre natural gas storage site owned by Southern California Gas Company, an investor-owned utility whose prices and operation are regulated by the state Public Utilities Commission.

Like Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, who was prior head of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee, Gatto said he plans to closely monitor the Public Utilities Commission.

"Are there inspection rules, new sensor rules?" Gatto asked. "What do we need to do to make sure that this type of thing doesn't happen again?"

The well that is leaking natural gas — mostly methane — at the rate of 30,000 kilograms per hour is one of about 100 similar wells on the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage site. That's down from an estimated 58,000 kilograms per hour a few weeks ago.

The well was installed between 1953 and 1954 as an oil extraction well and was converted decades later into a natural gas injection well when the oil was depleted. Gas is piped in from outside the area and stored in the underground rock formation.

Attorneys who have announced plans to sue SoCal Gas over the leak have called for the entire gas field to be shut down to prevent similar wells on the site from developing leaks.

SoCal Gas has said the leak is an anomaly and that the gas storage site, which is one of the largest in the United States, plays a critical role in Southern California's energy landscape.