With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Porter Ranch: Residents will get more time to move home after leak is stopped
Listen
• 0:55
File: Matt Pakucko, president and co-founder of Save Porter Ranch, speaks to the media during a press conference on a gas leak in Porter Ranch after a regular Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Porter Ranch residents were only set to get 48 hours to move home from temporary accommodations after the gas leak is stopped under a proposal from the Southern California Gas Company, but now they're set to get more time under a deal between SoCal Gas and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, according to a press release.
“After finding their lives upended for months, Porter Ranch residents deserve a reasonable amount of time to move back into their homes — following independent assurance the leak truly has been stopped," Feuer said in the release.
L.A. City Councilmember Mitchell Englander is asking the Department of Oil and Geothermal Resources to work with the L.A. County Department of Health to make sure that the homes of those affected are safe before they return, according to the release.
The key points of the new agreement, according to the release:
- After SoCal Gas seals the leak, it notifies the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources.
- The Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources works with independent experts to determine if the leak has actually been stopped.
- After written confirmation from the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources is issued, Porter Ranch residents in hotels will get up to eight days and seven nights to move out and back home.
- Those who have moved somewhere with a lease will have their rent and other costs (examples include utilities, rental, furniture and gardening service) paid for through the term of the lease by SoCal Gas.
- Those who relocated to apartments or single-family homes will have up to $500 of moving expenses reimbursed.
- Residents with special circumstances, such as disabilities, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- SoCal Gas will confer with the L.A. City Attorney's Office about other extraordinary circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
- SoCal Gas will reimburse "reasonable" mileage expenses through the rest of the school year for those who enrolled their children in schools outside of the Porter Ranch area
"The previous 48-hour timeframe proposed by SoCal Gas was unreasonable and inhumane," Englander said in the release. "This is not just about returning home, it is about a safe return home."
Support for LAist comes from
That's not good enough for Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who represents Porter Ranch and surrounding communities. He wants SoCal Gas to continue paying relocation costs for up to 30 days after the leak is declared fixed.
“The County Department of Public Health has determined that once the once the well is sealed and the emissions cease, the time needed for a comprehensive evaluation of the air monitoring results is 30 days,” Antonovich said in a statement.
He has called on fellow supervisors to sign onto a letter to the gas company and Feuers office urging them to reconsider the deadline.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high. -
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
Best of LAist