Published in Medium.com on February 17, 2020
The Aliso Canyon gas blowout of 2015 was the largest natural gas release in US history. As this facility is located in the northern San Fernando Valley, and the emissions, from not only the four-month uncontrolled flow, but continuing to this day, have been blown throughout at least a ten mile radius from the storage wells, affecting residents in a wide area from Simi to the northeast Valley, to the mid Valley, and even occasionally up to the Santa Clarita area.
In advance of next month’s primary election, I’ve decided to send a survey about this environmental disaster to candidates in the Congressional, Assembly, State Senate, County district 5 and the Los Angeles City Council 12 districts that are most affected. If an email address wasn’t available, the survey was either posted on the campaign website contact form, through Facebook messenger, or through direct message on Twitter.
The received answers from the candidates are below and have been edited only for length, and information that doesn’t directly pertain to their stances on the questions.
Disclosure: I have campaigned for two of the candidates listed
Congress CD-25 (Porter Ranch, Simi,Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley)
Brian Cooper
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Yes, I am in favor of closing the facility. Given the recent gas leak, I have concerns about long term public health as well as the safety of the facility. Given the state’s goal to reduced reliance on gas as an energy source over the next 25 years, developing a plan to close the facility moves us closer to our climate change targets.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
No.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
While I support a deadline to close the facility, I would like to have an independent third-party expert study the issue and make a set of recommendations on how best to move forward. I would expect such a report to identify viable alternatives sources of energy.
Kenneth Jenks
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Close the gas storage due to negligence. There are alternative facilities that do not pose the same risk with a surrounding, vibrant community.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I have voiced my concern and opinion, but have not been in a position to go beyond my voice.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
I would favor and support closing Aliso by the end of 2020.
Courtney Lackey
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
I am about safety for our community. I am concerned about corporate interests corrupting the very regulatory agencies that are in place to protect the public.
Based on what I have seen, I am not 100% sure that Southern CA Gas can keep residents in this area safe; and until we have 100% safety, I would vote for closure. I am particularly concerned about the health and well-being of our children, the future of our nation. For them, and for all Americans, my platform includes CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, and CLEAN FOOD.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Please see comment above.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
Yes, until we can be 100% certain that this will never happen again, I would be in favor of closure.
Daniel Mercuri
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Yes, I am in favor of closing down the facility. It has proven that it has not been heavily needed as a primary source of natural gas for that area over the last three years. I do know that the CPUC has the Aliso facility on their list as a last ditch resort for needed energy, but in my research, California has dozens of other facilities that can and have been used as alternatives sources. I’m not in support of removing ‘ALL’ natural gas facilities, but the Aliso Canyon has proven to be a mess and should be shut down.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Yes, my wife and I called the governor’s office to complain about the leak when it first happened. We had offered up our home at the time to the friends that lived in the area if they needed a place to stay while the clean up began. We suggested to the governor’s office for greater oversight on these IOU electric and gas facilities. Because the largest providers are investor owned, it’s difficult to hold any one person accountable which is why there needs be a more firm hand over these companies.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
I do support expedition to the shut down by end of 2020. However, it’s hard to implement a definitive deadline when dealing with toxic gases and waste. When I served in the military, we dealt with chemical spills, ordinance mishaps and other toxic waste that couldn’t always be cleaned up in a preferred time frame. This was due to the fact that spills may have more underlying damages than expected once a clean up begins. Not to mention safety measure that need to be in place for the people involved in the clean up and dismantling of the facility. Yes, we do need to put a time-frame on the clean up in closing it down, but we need to have enough flexibility so that its done the right way as to not leave any residual environmental effects that could further hurt the people of our area.
F. David Rudnik
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
I am in favor of closing Aliso Canyon. However, I am aware of the energy shortfall that this would create for Los Angeles and this is the perfect opportunity to push through Green New Deal legislation for SoCal. I am also in favor of closing it down because I do not support large and dangerous industrial operations in suburban or urban areas.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Yes, I participated in protests with Alexandra Nagy and Walker Foley of Food and Water Watch. I also extensively wrote about it on various forums, blogs and message boards plus, Facebook groups.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
Yes. Human error is bound to happen again and its We The People who suffer due to corporate interests.
Christy Smith
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
I am in favor of closing the facility. It has not been conclusively proven that the proximity to residential communities is safe and without that evidence we should remain cautious.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Yes, I have been proud to stand with Sen. Henry Stern, Congressman Brad Sherman, and Governor Gavin Newsom to expedite the closure.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
As of now it stands with the outcome of the study that the governor has commissioned to determine the timeline for closure.
Cenk Uygur
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
The Aliso Canyon facility should be closed down as soon as possible. This was the biggest gas leak in American history. It released 100,000 tons of methane, the equivalent of the annual emissions of a half a million cars. This was a larger spill with a bigger impact on global warming than even the BP oil spill in 2010. It’s unacceptable to risk another environmental disaster of this order, one that drove people from their homes, and we cannot trust that the company that brought us this disaster through epic incompetence will be able to safely run this facility again. 2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions? In February 2016, I called for the closure of the facility and for criminal action to be taken against SoCalGas and it’s executives. I predicted that no executives would be arrested — none were — and that any criminal charge would be minimal. The leak ended up resulting in a $4 million fine, which was tiny compared to the damage caused. At the time, I said the lack of consequences would be due to corporations, like the parent company Sempra,controlling politicians through contributions.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso? Absolutely. I appreciate that Governor Newsom ordered the expedited closing of the facility but it’s not enough. He must set a definitive date for closure. If there is no date for specific action, then this closure risks dragging on with endless studies, which allows the parent company Sempra to influence more politicians to get a different result. Additionally, according to Food & Water Action, use of the Aliso Canyon facility has actually increased under the Newsom administration. We must hold elected officials accountable who maintain this facility and demand a specific closure date.
Anibal Valdez-Ortega
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
I want Aliso Canyon to provide a safe utility function to the people. This means in part: being held accountable, increase its safety measures, and informing the storage facility that the gas leak was unacceptable and cannot happen again. If there is any other notable leak the gas storage must be shut down with massive fines issued and health tests given to all residents within the affected areas.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I have called for the gas storage to be more closely monitored as a serious health concern. I have stated that any further leaks should be strongly considered for future fines and potential closure.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
I think a definitive closure is not yet merited. However, as stated previously, any serious violations would lend strongly towards shutting down the storage facility and levying heavy fines to ensure the facility remains shut down. The storage facility is currently regulated by the State of California but as a Congressman I would work closely to monitor the activity at the site and make sure that the site is accountable.
The following candidates did not respond to the survey: Otis Lee Cooper, Getro Elize, Mike Garcia, Stephen Knight, David Lozano, George Papadopoulos
Congress CD-29 (including North Hills, Sylmar, Pacoima, San Fernando)
Angelica Dueñas
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Yes, shut it down. The Aliso Canyon gas facility has been proven to be hazardous to the health of those near the facility. We also have to move to 100% Fossil free energy in the next 10 years.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Yes. I have stood in solidarity with the Aliso Canyon community, protestors and organizers.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
Yes. We need to know when the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility will be closed.
Michael Guzik
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
The Aliso Canyon gas storage facility must be closed, and the transition must be made to solar, wind and geothermal energy sources. California needs to lead the way as storage facilities such as Aliso Canyon are contributing to the effects of climate change. Whether it was the Aliso Canyon leak or the devastation of wildfires we are seeing the effects of climate change and we must act now.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I am in support of the Green New Deal and if elected to Congress this would be one of my top priorities. If I can make the world a better place for my children I will make the world a better place for every one and I am ready to serve We The People.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
Yes I am in favor. California must lead the way to transition to 100% renewable energy.
The following candidates did not respond to the survey: Tony Cárdenas, Brian Perras
Congress CD-30 (including Porter Ranch, Northridge, Chatsworth, Reseda, Granada Hills, West Hills)
CJ Berina
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Yes, I am in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon facility. I believe in not only ending the extraction, storage and use of all fossil fuels but also in federal seizure of all assets of corporations that knowingly endanger citizens, animal life, and or our ecosystems. We cannot trust corporations to safely cleanup or rehabilitate ecosystems that have suffered from toxic contamination and pose a threat to all associated ecosystems and the life forms therein.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I have also called for the following in relation to the Aliso Canyon and SoCal gas facilities:
- Agency Responsible for Ecological Rehabilitation
- Federally seize and decommission companies that knowingly endanger people, communities, and ecosystems
-Enable Citizens to appeal for a thorough non biased Investigation of Potential Chemical Contamination
-Create an agency to assess and appropriate holistic reparations to victims of toxic contamination.
- Ban all forms of fossil fuel extraction and phase out fossil fuel use by 2030
- Federally seize all fossil fuel extraction, processing, storage and distribution sites for safe and sustainable decommissioning, cleanup, decontamination, and ecological rehabilitation conducted by federal and state agencies rather than by private corporate entities subsidized by tax dollars.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?.
I would strongly advise the CPUC to establish a definitive deadline as well as environmental, economic, and strategic reports on the closure of the Aliso Canyon facility.
Mark Reed
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
Yes. The facility is not needed to sustain the demand in Los Angeles. It is an environment and health hazard to the surrounding communities.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
Yes. I’ve dedicated over 5 hours of coverage to the leaders and doctors fighting the gas company on my podcast show. I’ve attended several meetings and have made my positions publicly known.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
Yes.
The following candidates did not respond to the survey: Brian Carroll, Raji Rab, Brad Sherman
Assembly AD-38 (including Porter Ranch, Granada Hills, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley)
Annie Cho
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
The Aliso Canyon gas storage facility absolutely must be closed, permanently. SoCalGas’ decades of negligence led to an environmental disaster of previously unseen proportions and their response to the resulting crisis was equally inadequate. Protection of the health and well-being of the surrounding area’s residents as well as of the environment must supersede all other considerations.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I have attended public information meetings. Most recently, I attended the Community Advisory Group of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department on Aliso Canyon in October 2019. I also was at the Aliso Canyon Town Hall hosted by Food & Water Watch in November 2019.
Throughout my campaign for the Los Angeles City Council District 12 Special Election in 2019, I had advocated for the permanent closure and for the Los Angeles City Council to require SoCalGas to submit reports on their timeline to shut it down.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
The closure of the Aliso Canyon facility must be done as quickly as possible in order to prevent further impact on residents and the environment. If the facility can safely and effectively be taken out of commission by the end of 2020 then everything within reason should be done to impose such a deadline.
Brandii Grace
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
SHUT IT DOWN! I live next to Aliso Canyon and every time the facility increases output, my family and neighbors suffer from nose bleeds, dizziness, and a host of other ailments. When the facility caught fire this fall, we were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night. As I carried my tiny son out of the house in his pajamas, I brushed the snowing ash from his face. It struck me that I couldn’t brush that filth from his lungs.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I have fought back as a citizen, a neighbor, an official of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council. I’ve attended rallies, supported bills, and signed letters to shut down Aliso Canyon — NOW!
I spoke out publicly on Aliso Canyon during the Simi Valley debate: https://tinyurl.com/t36tzxp
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
As far as I’m concerned, the sooner, the BETTER!
In the meantime, we need to reinstate regulations to reduce withdrawals back to 2017 levels, establish a detailed timeline for the shut down, and put dedicated funding into things like worker transitions, clean energy replacement infrastructures, and the necessary engineering tasks to safely complete the shut down.
The following candidates did not respond to the survey: Dina Cervantes, Kelvin Driscoll, Lucie Lapointe Volotzky, Suzette Martinez Valladares
None of the three candidates for County Supervisory District 5 nor the two candidates for SD-27 responded.
Los Angeles City Council District 12 (including Porter Ranch, Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge,West Hills, North Hills)
Asaad Alnajjar
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
I am in favor of the closure because currently it is affecting the lives of thousands of people; including me personally; it is harming our environment and affecting the future of our children whom will live in the valley, last we have no measure yet of the actual damage to our health, land, water and air as a result of the gas crisis.
This facility is old and not fully maintained and causes and accident to happen, question is not IF the question is WHEN it happens again and again.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
As a Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council member we are working to take an action for the closure, proceed with the health study and determine the health affects and how to treat the people in our community. We have lost some as a result and we are hoping to find a cure to whatever we got subjected to from gas and benzine. As a PRNC board member I supported and transmitted the letters of community demands to all officials.
As a citizen, I advocate the closure and have been trying to design a better long term monitoring system to measure the air content of gases and to sound the alarm when we are in danger. As an engineer I always live on collecting data to establish models and find alternative energy such as the Solar Panels I installed on street lights along Sesnon and Porter Ranch Drive in Porter Ranch.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
I will demand as a Citizen, as a PRNC Member and as future Councilmember if elected to have a definitive deadline. I am an engineer and design build always with a start point, a path to follow and a defined completion date. Hence politicians should follow this formula and give a deadline by end of 2020.
There is no reason to delay unless it is to serve the interests of SoCAL Gas and special interest entities.
Shut It Down Now.
Dr. Loraine Lundquist
1. Are you in favor of closing the Aliso Canyon gas storage or do you want the facility to remain open? Why?
The facility is a public health, earthquake, wildfire, and climate hazard and must be shut down. We don’t need it, as evidenced by the length of time the basin has survived while it was completely shut down. Scattered attempts to use it have largely proved to be underhanded attempts to recover financial investments. Now, ratepayers are stuck paying $40 million/year to keep financing an unnecessary facility that negatively impacts our community.
2. Have you (whether as an elected official or citizen) taken action to call for the closure of Aliso? If so, what actions?
I helped lead community opposition to the facility. I led protests, lobbied elected officials, and testified before the state Senate and Assembly about climate solutions. Because of our efforts, SB 380 was passed requiring injection be halted, a seismic study was completed (showing the dangers of continuing to operate the facility), a root cause analysis was completed (showing more than 60 cases of corporate negligence in the face of repeated leaks due to serious corrosion), and SB 810 was passed implementing battery storage to offset Aliso at a record low prices and in record construction time.
3. Would you favor the CPUC establish a definitive deadline of the end of 2020 for the closure of Aliso?
I support the immediate closure of the facility.
The following candidate did not respond to the survey: John Lee