One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Porter Ranch: California legislators consider Aliso Canyon moratorium
File: A crew works in early February to stop the flow of gas from the leaking gas well at the Aliso Canyon storage facility.
(
Courtesy of Sempra Utilities
)
The California state Legislature is considering a moratorium on injecting gas into the Aliso Canyon storage facility, which leaked methane in the Porter Ranch area for several months.
SB 380, the bill under consideration, was unanimously approved by the state Senate last month and Monday is before the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. It would put a moratorium on injections into the facility until after "a rigorous safety review" of all wells, according to California state Sen. Fran Pavley's website.
The law would also prohibit extractions of gas from 1950s-era wells that are similar to the well that failed and led to the Porter Canyon leak, according to Pavley's site.
The moratorium wouldn't be lifted until three state agencies signed off on the wells not posing a significant risk to the public, with input from both independent experts and the public, according to Pavley's site.
The bill is being presented by state Sen. Pavely and state Sen. Bob Huff, who co-authored the bill. Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch Englander, Assemblymember Scott Wilk and Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council President Paula Cracium were scheduled to testify.
Watch live video of the hearings at the Legislature's website.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the bill number. KPCC regrets the error.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
