Published in Medium.com on October 27, 2019
Environment activists join residents for a surprise sit in at Aliso Canyon. Photo by Jon Teboe
This week marked the fourth anniversary of when a well at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility became so damaged that an uncontrollable methane release, the largest in US history, filled the Los Angeles basin with greenhouse gases and the northern San Fernando Valley with a massive amount of harmful polytoxins.
As part of the commemoration of this event that still affects some 1.5 million Valley residents, two activities were planned by residents and environmental activist groups, followed by an impromptu attempt to directly ask Governor Gavin Newsom to use his authority to permanently shut down the SoCalGas site
Action 1: Press Conference in lot near SoCalGas storage facility gate
On the actual anniversary, more than 60 residents and activists and one state lawmaker filled the concrete patch next to the SoCalGas gate with signs and banners with messaging directed toward Newsom.
The president and co-founder of the group Save Porter Ranch, Matt Pakucko started the press conference thanking those who came. “Here we are again, four years later. Four years and still that place is open after all the health problems caused by it, and the constant emissions to this day. There’s a perfect background. What do you see back there, you see burnt hills inside of a gas facility. What is wrong with this picture? How many warnings,Governor Newsom, do you need to fulfill your campaign promise to shutting down this facility?” he asked.
He continued, “Since the place was shut down in 2016, we had three fires, two big earthquakes in July this past year, plenty of emission and leaks, and some not recorded by the Gas Company. What would it take to shut this place down?”
“I can go on for a long time about the dangers of this facility, but the Gas Company isn’t even our biggest enemy. Our biggest enemies are our elected officials, present company excluded (indicating Senator Henry Stern), the regulatory agencies, especially the health department. They’re the ones who are supposed to protect us: DOGGR (Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources), the CPUC (the California Public Utilities Commission), the AQMD (the Air Quality Management District), (someone yelled out Barger) Barger isn’t here today. Jarrod’s (referring to Jarrod DeGonia, Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Valley Deputy) here. That’s why we’re still fighting because they’re not doing their jobs”
He introduced Senator Stern who said, “This is a terrible anniversary four years later. This group of people you see behind you, a group of community activists stand together; yet four years later, no justice. They haven’t been compensated for the ongoing health impact of the Aliso Canyon blowout. The state settlement offer shifted a bunch of money to the Central Valley to dairy digesters. This community is still being forced to be addicted to this facility. As you see, a fire just burned right through the community, yet Porter Ranch is still resilient. I’m so proud to work for you.”
Pointing out that he’s the chair of the Senate resources committee, he announced that as of today, DOGGR is no longer in existence and is being replaced with a new agency called CalGEM Division(Geologic Energy Management). He said its mission will be “to protect public health, the environment, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Assembly Bill 1057, which created the change, was signed by Governor Newsom on October 12.
He continued, “I thank the governor — public health comes first — but we can take another step. Public health and the administrators can work hand in hand with our county and city officials to finally close Aliso Canyon for good. We can do it today. It’s not enough to rely on administrative processes that have taken years to get things done. Even as we speak the PUC is using the gas company’s own numbers to define whether or not we need Aliso Canyon in the future. We sent a letter to the PUC that said if you’re doing flawed math, you’re offering the governor a false choice. That’s unacceptable. The fact is we can move to a future beyond gas in LA.”
“It’s not just an issue for the community in Porter Ranch. It’s not just a selfish cause. This facility is costing the ratepayers of California billions of dollars. Our addition to this storage formation last year because of limited capacity, the pipeline shutdown, other flaws in our pipelines, the ratepayers of California paid over a billion dollars on their bills to keep this facility open. So this is not just a matter of protecting this community’s public health. Because if you don’t care about the public health in the San Fernando Valley, that’s your own moral flaw that you have to wrestle with. Forget the suburbs, forget all the people suffering, the families that are hurting the lives that are lost, put that aside. If you just care about your bills spiking throughout this next winter, then you need to close this facility down and you need to move to a brighter, greener future. We can move to renewable energy within this city, this country and California. And anything less than that, is turning our backs on our future,” the senator added.
He then referred to a state bill that he sponsored about chemical composition of emissions from the SoCalGas wells. “The other piece of good news today on a dark day is that finally, thanks to new legislation in Sacramento, we may get to the bottom of what the chemicals were that were spewed all over our community, breathing into our lungs and put all over our homes. The gas company still will not disclose what the chemicals were emitted that day during the blowout.”
“Originally they were saying mercaptans and gas, just a bad rotten egg smell. There’s oil in that field. When it blew out it blew out disgusting toxins that went into our community. Finally under state law, they’re going to be mandated to disclose what those chemicals are.” He then mentioned the Saddleridge fire that swept through the area the week before, and the mystery behind the soil-based fire on the site. “We can’t afford to be shrouded in mystery when our health is involved.”
He said it’s time to see the various levels of government working together with getting new building codes and working for 100 percent sustainability. “This takes courage,” he pointed out. He finished by saying,“I’m just proud to work with you all.”
Matt Pakucko about to address the press. Photo by Patty Glueck
Matt Pakucko returned to the mic and pointed out that there are other reasons to shut down the facility. “The root cause analysis of this gas blowout showed that this place has been negligent over the years. Leaks and blowouts, none were investigated. This shows SoCalGas has a culture of negligence and failed management.”
As for the Saddleridge fire, he asked “Who was the first to evacuate? SoCalGas. They abandoned the facility.” He also mentioned the mysterious fire on the site. They don’t know why there’s fire coming out from the ground. Either that’s a lie or they don’t know why it’s coming out of the ground. Either one is really scary.”
Alex Nagy, the California director of Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action got a laugh when she say, “I just want to thank the gas company for their super warm welcome with their barricades. They’re doing really hard work protecting us and making sure their facility is safe.” She went on to say, “Aliso Canyon, plain and simple, is a health crisis and a climate emergency and that’s why we’re here to shut it down. We are here to help Governor Newsom to do this. He’s promised our community many times and we’re going to help hold him accountable.”
She mentioned how her group was going door to door long before the blowout and found that people were getting sick and smelling the gas.“We went to our elected officials and said we think there’s a big problem. They said nobody’s really complained about this before.” Then the blowout happened. “This community wasn’t used to activism and mobilizing and taking to the street.”
She described the first rally with twenty people with handmade signs, wearing Halloween costumes. They talked to community members and found out how bad it was with residents developing nosebleeds, headaches, and nausea within a couple of days.
“We have come a long way in the last four years. We continue to organize, we continue to rally, we have turned out in the streets, barricaded the facility, and taken over state hearings.” She spoke about why this is a health crisis as many have lost family members and pets as well as many neighbors on their street who lost their lives. “And it’s continuing to affect and kill people today. That’s why we need to shut it down.”
“And this is all about SoCalGas’s greed and we know the gas company has lied to us and we know they’ve covered up the health effects, and we expect that from them. We know they’re a bad neighbor.”
“But Governor Newsom has a choice. He can choose to protect SoCalGas and their lies and their greed. Or he can protect the public, which should he do?” (The crowd responded with “protect the public.”) “He can’t continue to hide behind the PUC’s proceeding. We know it’s rigged to justify the numbers so that they can this facility is needed when we know they haven’t used it in years.”
She mentioned how the City of Los Angeles is studying how to get to 100 per cent clean energy by 2030 and get off gas. She added that with a coalition of community, organizations, elected officials, we can attain this.
She added that she wants to invite everyone to attend the Aliso health town hall on November 2 and listen to Dr. Nordella as he’s the only doctor who has looked into this health crisis. “Even if you are not sick now, you’ll breathing this air, and you may be sick tomorrow.”
She asked that residents be brave and tell their stories and then she said she would like to call on council member John Lee, then added that he canceled at the last moment with a strange excuse. She asked if he sent a representative. No? He’s shown what’s important to him. Alex then mentioned that there are some elected officials and representatives at the press conference. She said that Senator Dianne Feinstein has been with the community from the beginning, showing support for shutting the site down and that her representative Jane is here. She also mentioned that Jarrod (DeGonia) is here on behalf of Supervisor Kathyrn Barger, but added that his boss has refused to meet with the community since taking office.
Next, John Alford, legislative aide for Congressman Brad Sherman, took the mic and said that Sherman is proud to stand with AOC. That he understands that “future of our species depends on overcoming our addiction to fossil fuels.” He said that the Congress member is in favor of decommissioning the facility.
Richard Mathews at the megaphone. Photo from ABC7 video
Richard Mathews, who’s on the board of SPR, talked about how so many of the residents have had serious problems, mentioning his own problem with vision and his 92-year mother’s health problems.
“Now we see the fire coming through here, and the earthquake danger,” mentioning the Sylmar quake in 1971, before SoCalGas took over the field. If the same quake happened now, it would be a big disaster, he explained.
He said he was thrilled to hear that DOGGR no longer exists and that he helped with the provision that changes the mission of the new agency from promoting the extraction of gas to instead conserving and eliminating the use of gas. He explained why Aliso Canyon isn’t needed as it’s just a vehicle to store gas that SoCalGas buys in order to sell it. But as the price is declining, SoCalGas is passing on the charges to ratepayers, making them pay more.
“We need to electrify, to incentivize people to get off gas.” He added,“We don’t need to wait, we can shut it down now.”
Dr. Loraine Lundquist, a candidate for LA City Council CD-12, said, “We’ve met at this facility too many times, our community has suffered too much. I’ve been with this community from the beginning. I’ve learned a lot from our elected officials, about this facility, people who run this facility and what they are willing to do to this community.”
“I have learned that SoCalGas has repeatedly been willing to lie to the community. They were willing to lie as recently as a few weeks ago when they said there was a fire coming from the ground, they didn’t know what was causing it, but they can guarantee it’s safe for the community. How is that possible?”
“We have found that there is an earthquake fault that crosses all 115 of those wells. If there was an earthquake on that section, all of those wells will be sheared off and all that gas will be released.” She mentioned the well that was blown out by the 1994 quake and added, “We learned from a seismic study this community is in danger.” She also mentioned that there isn’t a credible emergency plan.
And we have found from the root cause analysis that there’s a safety culture problem. Repeated leaks, 60 prior leaks SoCalGas never once investigated what caused them.
It’s clearly time to shut this facility down because these people can’t be trusted and we need to do this anyway to build the clean energy economy of the future.”
Darrell Park, who’s running for the 5th Supervisor district stepped up next.“We have been here for 4 years. I still remember the Halloween costumes that the kids wore when we protested in front of the school and we know what happens to children’s organs and brains when they’re exposed to deadly chemicals. This has no place in this community.” He continued,“This is about money and this is about greed,” adding that if someone owns Sempra stock, they need to get rid of it. He then addressed the unions who work at the SoCalGas facilities. “Solar jobs pay way more than the dirty energy jobs. We are happy to retrain you. If you stay there and collect your blood poisonous money paychecks, you are the problem.” He also criticized the Democratic Party for taking money from SoCalGas and are sorry only when they get caught.
He said, “I have taken all gas out of my house, taken gas appliances out. SoCalGas came and shut down the gas line to the house. The moment I did that I raised the value on my house because the next person who buys the house will know when the big quake comes, they are safe.” He also told the crowd to “never ever call it natural gas, it’s poisonous methane death gas.”
David talked about how capitalism is burning this planet, and says the most credible version of the New Green Deal is Bernie Sanders’s version and it is needed along with wind turbines.
Rolando Salmeron addressing the press. Photo by Patty Glueck
Rolando Salmeron said that natural gas is killing the planet and we need to do our research about how to change things.
I talked about the consent decree that was signed off on and has been funded,but brought up that we don’t know what happened to the air quality monitors that would measure for BTEX chemicals…”That’s the one part of the settlement that can help us. Why isn’t this important to Supervisor Barger?” I said.
Lina mentioned that she has lived in this community for eight years with her dog and two kids, but said her dog died two days after the gas leak.
John Kerin with the Sunrise Movement spoke next. “We’re scared because we know we’re in a climate crisis.” He mentioned his group is helping with Food & Water Watch to help the community affected by the health crisis due to Aliso Canyon. Trying to help get Loraine Lundquist,who will standup for the residents, elected. He mentioned that last week they held an action at the Bonaventure hotel. “There was a nonprofit gala fundraiser where Newsom was getting a public service award, and we thought it was inappropriate with these hills burning.” He mentioned that many fossil fuel companies such as SoCalGas, Southern California Edison, and Exxon Mobile were involved as sponsors with CEOs who were co-chairs of the event. “It was dripping of oil money funding.” He also mentioned that Newsom signed the off of fossil fuel money pledge, but he still received money from Sempra Energy and PG&E CEOs. “This is his last chance for him to show he’s on our side and not beholden to fossil fuels. With a stroke of a pen, he can shut it down.”
Gaby, also with the Sunrise Movement, talked about growing up in this area. She feels this community has been forgotten and ignored. She told the attendees, “You’re fighting for those who couldn’t be here today. Do not give up. The governor has the ability to be on our side.” She called for the governor to pick his side and be here for the community he serves and not for SoCalGas.
The Aliso Moms Alliance (Deirdre Bolona, Helen Attar, Lori Aivazian, Jane Fowler, Patty Glueck) showing up for both events. Photo by Jon Markarian
Jane Fowler was the last speaker. She said, “We want the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility closed. It’s been four years of hell.” She pointed out that the community had to fight for everything, and now we have to fight for air monitors that we got from the agreement. “We don’t need a storage facility. I’m tired of waking up every day and wondering is there going to be a leak. Which way the wind will blow?” She talked about the fire that was burning on “methane mountain,” was spreading the toxins. She addressed Governor Newsom, “You must shut this down. We’ve had so many deaths and illnesses. Shut Aliso Canyon now with an executive order with a stroke of a pen, you can stop this. You have the power.”
Action 2: Sit in at the SoCalGas storage facility gate
Activists right before heading to the SoCalGas gate. Photo by Patty Glueck
Some 100 residents including the Aliso Moms Alliance and Save Porter Ranch, and activists from Food & Water Action, Extinction Rebellion, Sunrise Movement LA, and the Sunrise Movement, gathered on the entry way to the SoCal Gas gate Thursday morning by 7:30am, and immediately set up chairs and held banners. Sets of protesters even attached themselves to large oil sized cans and other devices. One nearby house owned by an Aliso Mom was utilized as headquarters (bathroom breaks, etc.).
The message for the sit in. Photo by Patty Glueck
As the blustery day continued, guards were dispatched from the gas company to stand between the protesters and the entrance to the facility. The LAPD barricaded Sesnon Blvd at the east end at Tampa, and around High Glen Way on the west end. Any vehicles going to the SoCalGas site or the other companies located there ended up having to take a back entrance.
The protesters (and SoCalGas guards) were entertained by music, chants, and a Gavin Newsom impersonator who did a bit accompanied by a troupe of red-clad actors, ostensibly representing death. Lynn Wang received a lot of applause for performing an amazing operatic solo.
Dr. Loraine Lundquist addressing the activists at sit in. Photo by Hannah Benet
Speeches by residents, including the Aliso Moms, Maureen Capra, Kyoko Hibino, and Loraine Lundquist talked about health problems caused by the emissions from Aliso’s wells, the lack of support and truth by regulators, the politicians who haven’t stepped up to help the residents, and what it’s like living near a ticking seismic time bomb. Activists discussed how Aliso and other uses of fossil fuels affect the environment.
Photo by Jon Teboe
One activist from Extinction Rebellion, Allan said those affected by the blowout “just as easily could have been me. I would want someone to stick up for me.”
Sean from Sunrise Movement mentioned he came all the way from Santa Barbara. He said he heard personal stories that are powerful, that are compelling. “Emissions don’t care.”
Photo by Jon Teboe
The protesters were prepared to stay there as long as possible, even facing arrest. But around 2:50 pm, a fire broke out in Canyon County, about 14 miles away. As the fire rapidly grew, the winds blew the smoke to the south, affecting the air quality in Porter Ranch. It was decided that the protest would move to Brentwood where Gavin Newsom would be attending a fundraising event for Senator Kamala Harris.
Resident Jane Fowler discussing how the blowout affected her. Photo by Kyoko Hibino
Action 3: Seeking Gavin Newsom
Many of those who were sitting in for almost nine hours at the SoCalGas gate drove past a developing fire in the Sepulveda Basin on the way to Brentwood. There, Governor Gavin Newsom would be headlining a fundraiser for presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris. Among those attending this soiree would be many successful film and television industry executives, paying between $100 to $2,800 a ticket.
Many of those lining the street in front of the house directed their chants and songs to Newsom, asking “Which Side Are You On?” Speaking through a bullhorn, speakers called for Newsom to sign the executive order, “so no one is left behind.” One Food & Water Watch activist asked that Newsom and Harris listen to the voices, while another speaker asked that Newsom keep his campaign promise to shut Aliso down. She mentioned that while she was at the gate, she developed a headache, nausea, and was having trouble breathing, even before the fire started.
Lauren Steiner told the crowd that in the past the other senator from California, Dianne Feinstein, had been willing to talk with protestors for thirty minutes at one event. (NOTE: Feinstein sent a letter to the CPUC in 2017 requesting that the storage facility at Aliso Canyon be shut down)
Ida, a resident in the northern San Fernando Valley called the continuing existence of Aliso Canyon to be an exquisite failure of leadership.
Outside fundraising for Kamala Harris in Brentwood. Photo by Walker Foley
Deirdre Bolona, who lives a short walk from the SoCalGas gate, and is a member of the Aliso Moms Alliance, said that the North Valley has been known as “SoCalGas’s sacrifice zone. We’re getting sick, getting cancer clusters. The health department doctor sent a letter to all doctors saying ‘do not test’ for toxicology.” She added, “We need to ask Newsom to shutdown down Aliso Canyon. We are tired of being poisoned daily, with cancer-causing carcinogen toxins.” She thanked the groups who came today.
Jane Fowler, a resident of Granada Hills and a member of the Aliso Moms Alliance, took the megaphone and said, “Four years ago, 110,000 tons of methane and also polytoxins and crude oil were released upon my community. Many pets have passed. Six teachers at the closest elementary school have passed. We need you to hear us, Governor Newsom.We need you. Yes, you thought Aliso Canyon should be closed down. We spoke to you at the Democratic Convention. ‘Oh, yes, we have to shut that place down’ you said. The time has passed. There’s been fires on “Methane Mountain” and we already relocated for seven months before and because we’ve been sick. We don’t know what’s been released from the fires. Polytoxins in the smoke. I ask you to put pen to paper and shut Aliso down.”
A member of Food & Water Watch, Nicole mentioned her friends who live in the area affected by Aliso Canyon.“I thought I understood and then today I stood there, the environment, the ash and air quality, and my eyes were affected.”
At one point, Food & Water Action organizer Walker Foley told the crowd that the LAPD doesn’t mind that the protestors are here, just as long as “we’re not blocking the street,” but added the bullhorn is creating too much noise.
Activist talks with US Senator Kamala Harris. Photo from Extinction Rebellion video
When the junior senator for California, Kamala Harris approached the driveway, she briefly talked with one member of Extinction Rebellion and said she would talk with the governor. As guests were leaving the fundraiser, Becca explained to attendees why they were there.
The protesters moved on to Beverly Hills where the governor was going to attend another function. This was the William O. Douglas Award Dinner at which Public Counsel will be presenting an award to Newsom.
What about other local electeds? Supervisor Kathyrn Barger’s Valley field deputy told one protestor at the Fourth Anniversary Press Conference that his boss had another function to attend at the same time.
Council member John Lee had initially told Food &Water Watch’s Alex Nagy that he would attend the press conference. But at the last minute, she received a message that he was going to meet with another council member instead.
It is worth noting that Lee took his first action regarding Aliso, since taking office in August, the day before the anniversary, by introducing a motion to ask the City’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Safety Administrator to pull together a “detailed report” in thirty days (after the resolution gets passed, of course) on the status of various reports, all of which are available online, and the investigations being conducted by the CPUC. This motion was referred to the city council’s Energy, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice Committee, which meets next on November 5. The motion states that this information is important “in order for the City of Los Angeles to determine what additional actions need to be taken, in conjunction with the future closure of Aliso Canyon, to protect residents from similar incidents in the future.”
One has to think that perhaps the council member realized that the continuing operation of Aliso Canyon, especially in light of the recent Saddleridge fire that threatened to burn on the site, would become an issue for the upcoming city council election that takes place in March, and he wanted to say he “did something” about Aliso.
His motion apparently is inspired by the one that Council member Mike Bonin had introduced in September. This motion, regarding the SoCalGas facility in Playa Del Rey, will be on the City Council agenda on October 29th.
There will be more discussion about the chemicals found in the air following the mysterious Aliso Canyon fires that started on the gas facility just shortly after the Saddleridge fire headed toward the Santa Clarita area. Samples were tested and the results now available just in time for Monday’s Saddleridge Town Hall and Saturday’s Aliso Health Effects Town Hall. More on this development in an upcoming article.