Councilman Calls For Health Report On Playa Del Rey Gas Storage

LOS ANGELES, CA —Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin recently called for a report on the Playa del Rey gas storage field amid health concerns of community members.

"Local residents in the neighborhoods of Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Marina del Rey, Venice and Westchester have voiced concerns to the city about odors, oily mist, oil field rigs and equipment left idle at sites for long periods of time," Bonin's motion states, "as well as a lack of information on operations, possibly unpermitted well maintenance activities and hillside soil erosion."

The Playa del Rey oil field was converted to a gas storage field by the Southern California Gas Co. in 1955, but the company continues to produce oil and gas from the oil field, Bonin said.

SoCalGas spokeswoman Patrice Clayton issued a statement saying the utility "has worked with leading experts and state agencies to introduce new safety enhancements, comprehensive inspections and advanced monitoring technologies at all of our natural gas storage facilities, including Playa del Rey. Today, PDR exceeds the rigorous safety standards set by state regulators. All operating storage wells at Playa del Rey have completed a comprehensive battery of tests."

Clayton also said bubbles observed in a nearby marsh have been tested and are naturally occurring and not related to the natural gas storage facility.

Bonin's motion would have the city's Planning Department work with the Petroleum Administrator, Department of Building and Safety, Los Angeles Fire Department and the City Attorney's Office to "immediately investigate" and report back within 90 days on the oil, natural gas and gas storage field operations at the Playa del Rey field, which is located at 8141 S. Gulana Ave.

Bonin's motion -- which referenced the massive Aliso Canyon gas leak in 2015 in Porter Ranch and suggested that precautions should be taken to avoid a similar situation -- will initially be heard in the City Council's Energy, Climate Change and Environmental Justice Committee.

The Sierra Club's Airport Marina group and the Grassroots Coalition held a rally on Monday in front of Los Angeles City Hall and called on city leaders to speak with stakeholders on the issues surrounding the field.

Several people spoke about the gas storage field during Tuesday's City Council meeting urging an investigation.

City News Service