ALISO CANYON TIMELINE JANUARY THRU FEBRUARY 2016
2016
1/4 Gov. Brown visited the Aliso site (also met in secret with a few members of PRNC)
1/4 SCG erected a mesh screens to to capture airborne droplets of a brine solution that "may have contained trace amounts
of oil naturally occurring within the leaking well's reservoir, according to a SCG spokesperson
1/4 CPUC Response Letter to City of Los Angeles as well as to EDF, Senator Pavley, the City of Lancaster (which included: “It is
clear that the leak has caused disruption to residents living near the leak, including reports of physical impacts and safety
concerns. In addition, the leak is itself a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, with a corresponding impact on
climate change.” The letter also said that the CPUC was investigating SCG’s management of impacts on local communities
affected as well as actions taken before and after the leak was discovered. Also investigating issues related to maintenance
of the field in general.
1/4 CPUC directive to SCG to provide district call center information and perform area leak surveys, including info about calls
to the call center from Sept. 1 on
1/4 Plaintiff law sent letter to DOC asking for a halt on injection at Aliso
1/5 BOS called for investigation
1/6 Gov. Brown declared state of emergency for the Aliso Canyon blowout in proclamation
1/7 Meeting #3 of PRCAC Guests from CARB, DOC, SCG; discussed were emissions, green house gasses, mitigation,
air testings (reference to Dr.Blake from UCI who had found one sample that smelled like oily tar), air filters
1/8 SCG & AQMD announced plans to burn off leaking gas
1/9 The AQMD Hearing Board held a public hearing in the community in Granada Hills. Prior to meeting, there is a protest by
the community put on by SPR, FWW, Stand-LA, and the Sierra Club.
1/11 Senator Pavley held press conference to introduce SB-380
1/11 LA county joined the COLA lawsuit ag SCG
1/11 Greenpeace Public Records Request sent to the CPUC
1/12 PR schools start at temporary locations
1/12 Senator Barbara Boxer asked for independent, outside agency (not DOGGR) to investigate Aliso Blowout
1/12 City council introduced (and voted in 1/29/16) resolution re public disclosure requirements for oil and gas storage
facilities (mentions monitoring and other things)
1/13 US senators asked federal agencies for help
1/13 Letter to the CPUC from Assemblymember Gatto, Chair, Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee on
Records Retention (going back to 12/08/06, that can be made accessible to the public and to investigators)
1/13 City council motion (passed 1/26/16) re Granada Hills/Chatsworth/Northridge relocation (this mentions how
the city went to court re relocation, the city and AQMD also asking for health study)
1/14 CPUC Data Request to SoCalGas
1/14 Meeting 4 of the PR CAC. Guests from PH (Rangan & Butler) and SCG (Wright and Cho); Rangan admitted the issue
was more complex than originally thought; health impacts of the methane, flammability was more a concern but PH
said levels are well below flammability levels; “no long or short-term consequences of breathing methane” concern
was more with displacement of oxygen. They were asked about studies that would prove the lack of effects, Butler
suggested the toxnet website (which seems to just have a couple of cases w/no real studies) while with mercaptans,
just has studies done on rats. EPA IRIS doesn’t have methane in their database. They are looking at other chemicals,
oily mists, also mentioned that PH intends to send out info to health providers
1/15 State proposed emergency regulations for all gas storage facilities.
1/15 SPR testified and asked questions about Aliso at the public town hall with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
1/16 AQMD meeting
1/19 PH issued a letter entitled Aliso Canyon Storage Facility Gas Leak update
1/20 Congressman. Brad Sherman released video that included hissing sound
1/20 PH requested more air monitoring
1/20 State proposed tougher oil & gas regulations
1/20 AQMD hearing
1/20 CPUC Letter to SoCalGas on Records Retention (specifically from 12/8/06 to present) plus an instruction that once
the leak has been stopped “SCG will need to assure the public that a leak like this will never happen again”
1/21 State Utilities & Commerce committee (chaired by Mike Gatto) held hearing in Granada Hills
1/21 SPR meets with Supervisor Michael Antonovich to discuss shutting down Aliso Canyon field.
1/21 Congressman Brad Sherman sent a letter to CAISO and CPUC and one to the CPUC on Electric Reliability
1/22 PH issues a Medical Provider Fact Sheet Aliso Canyon Gas Leak that said no long term permanent health exposure, no recommended toxicological tests
1/22 CPUC Letter to SoCalGas on Selection of 3rd Party Contractor, Blade Energy Partners to conduct the root cause analysis
1/23 In its abatement order, AQMD ordered SS-25 to be shut down once plugged, ordered health study (during hearing in
Woodland Hills), after a protest rally and residents’ testimony
1/24 Termo leak was discovered
1/25 Class action suit filed by PR businesses against SCG
1/26 AQMD filed lawsuit against SCG for creating a public nuisance
1/26 CPUC/DOGGR sent Request for Information to SCG, including about subsurface safety valves
1/26 CPUC Directive to Operators of Underground Gas Storage Facilities requesting all operators conduct immediate leak
surveys on all underground storage facilities
1/26 City council introduced motion re sanitation charges (voted on 2/23)
1/28 SPR met with Mayor Eric Garcetti with demands regarding SCG and PR, who agreed that there needs to be a
100% clean energy future.
1/28 Meeting #5 of the PRCAC, guests from AQMD, LA Co Office of Emergency Management; the AQMD lawyer explained what
the abatement order does and doesn’t do; mentioned that the public’s testimony was noticed; SCG will be required to notify,
schools, etc. of problems so they can notify the community; high number of complaints; Wallerstein said that Antonovich had
requested that money from fines, mitigation go back to the community, health study was discussed
1/29 AQMD issued: Fact Sheet: Aliso Canyon Gas Leak Health Impacts mentioned there’s benzene, but relatively small level
1/29 SoCalGas Initial Response to CPUC/DOGGR Jan. 26 Request asking for more time
2/1 CPUC/CEC/CAISO sent letter to the Governor
2/2 State attorney general files lawsuit SCG
2/2 County District Attorney filed criminal charges against SCG for failing to immediately report gas leak
2/2 A family filed wrongful death suit against SCG
2/2 The PRNC meeting discussed Aliso
2/2 City council introduced (voted 2/19/16) resolution to investigate unusual bill increases
2/2 – 2/4 After firefighters at the PR LAFD stations (#8 and 28) requested air purifiers in December, SCG showed up at the
Station 28 (on 2/2, 2/4 with Dr. Rangan,, on 2/3 with Katie Butler). The DPH rep told the firefighters (including some
from other local stations) that the gas was “perfectly safe,” there were “no hazards,” “natural gas is not toxic” and
“no long-term health effects”
2/3 City council introduced (voted 2/26/16) resolution re Boxer & Feinstein’s amendment re Aliso to the Energy
Policy Modernization act of 2015
2/4 County Supervisor Antonovich said the 48 hour deadline for residents to return home was unreasonable
and should be extended to 30 days.
2/4 SPR met with Council member Mitch Englander to discuss shutting down Aliso
2/4 Aliso Canyon Reliability Briefing to the PRCAC by CPUC Energy Division Director
2/5 CPUC Staff Directive to SoCalGas to Preserve Evidence
2/5 Meeting #6 of the PRCAC. Guests from Gov. Brown’s office, CPUC, LACo OEM, SCG. Discussed: CARB/AQMD will be
conducting onsite monitoring of methane, relocation back home after well is filled; what kind of testing to ensure
homes are safe, OEHHA to oversee the health study; water testing; also why is the burden of the residents to
deal with the health/safety issues because of other customers, relocation, filtration, reimbursements
2/8 County ordered SCG to extend time for relocated residents to return home from 48 hours to 8 days
2/10 At PRNC meeting, residents challenged PH & AQMD re odorants, that they were still getting symptoms
2/11 The AQMD says its received more than 2,340 complaints regarding Aliso
2/11 SCG said leak is temporarily controlled
2/11 Meeting #7 of the PRCAC Englander, Pawley, rep from Co Assessors Office, OEHAA, PH’s Butler & Carrie Tayour, SCG's
Wright: Scenarios for returning home (may not be right away), health sheet re being safe, presentation, re taxes and
property values, the different legislation, OEHHA rep felt PH’s actions were appropriate, talked re adverse effects were
due to the odorants, they don’t expect cancer or toxicity, mention of possibility of crude oil, end of relocation
2/12 SPR meets with US Senator Barbara Boxer to discuss shutting down Aliso
Which includes this: Since October 25, 2015, no natural gas has been injected into the Aliso Canyon storage natural
gas storage facility. The operator of this facility, Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), has been further
directed not to inject gas into the storage facility until a safety review of the facility has been completed.
2/18 DOGGR declared well officially “killed”
2/18 Meeting #8 of the PRCAC: Jason Marshall, DOC, Al Walker, DOGGR, Jimmie Cho and Andy Carasco, SCG, Rosalba
Gonzalez, Office of Sen. Fran Pavley. Among the topics: testing, safety valves, reimbursement, cleaning of spots,
property tax assessments
2/20 SPR gives testimony at AQMD hearing board meeting
2/22 Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee hearing for SB-380 in Sacramento. SPR gives testimony
2/24 SCG media statement re BOS seeing restraining order for relocation. It refers to PH, CARB, AQMD, & CAL EPA's
monitoring, saying "he air quality in the area has returned to the typical air-quality conditions that existed prior
to the leak."
2/25 Meeting #9 of the PRCAC Michelle Riebling, City Emergency Management Dept, Matt Peterson, City Chief
Sustainability Officer, BNIM reps, Gillian Wright, SCG Topics: the local assistance center in Chatsworth set up by
LA City, sustainability goals to get the city using clean energy, from the city: “The Mayor wrote to the gpvernor
asking for SBA assistance, and the need to influence the CARB methane mitigation plan. The Mayor asked that
the mitigation money be spent in the Porter Ranch community. We will put the stake in the ground as to what
possible for Porter Ranch. The money not going to individual homeowners but it can go to neighborhoods, schools
and other community assets.” Also discussed a “community vision” proposal for use in deciding mitigation funds,
a pilot program for a Net Zero Community in Porter Ranch; the county announced a restraining order again SCG
to delay the mandatory return of residents who had relocated (from 8 to 30 days, 3/18) Wright was asked re
whether SCG would file an appeal and she said she didn’t know (But at the end of the meeting it was announced
that SCG HAD FILED AN APPEAL).
2/26 SPR-organized rally is held
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AQMD South Coast Air Quality Management District
BOS LA County Board of Supervisors
CAISO California Independent System Operators
CARB California Air Resource Board
COLA City of Los Angeles
CPUC California Public Utilities Commission (part of California Dept of Conservation)
DOC California Dept of Conservation
DOGGR California Division of Oil Gas Geothermal Resources (part of California Dept of Conservation)
EDF Environmental Defense Fund
OEHHA California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
PH LA County Dept of Public Health
PR Porter Ranch
PRCAC Porter Ranch Community Advisory Committee
PRNC Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council
SCG Southern California Gas Company
SPR Save Porter Ranch
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