By Gregory J. Wilcox, Daily News, Los Angeles
Yielding to the request of residents and local officials, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday issued an emergency proclamation regarding the Southern California Gas Co. leak above Porter Ranch that is dumping massive amounts of methane into the atmosphere above the community.
Brown’s declaration came more than two month’s after the leak was discovered in the SoCalGas facility and after numerous pleas from residents and elected officials to take action regarding the leaking well that is pumping 1,200 tons of methane into the air each day, according to the California Air Resources Board.
The governor held a private meeting with three members of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council on Monday night and explained that he was not declaring the leak an emergency because it would allow for the use of taxpayers dollars to address the problem.
Brown said he wanted SoCalGas to cover all the expenses associated with the leak at its Aliso Canyon Storage Facility.
Brown’s order seems to assure that will happen.
“The California Public Utilities Commission shall ensure that Southern California Gas Company cover costs related to the natural gas leak and its response, while protecting ratepayers,” his order states.
Company officials have said it could take until late March to fix the leak. Workers are drilling a relief well that will allow them to pump heavy fluids and mud into the ground to stop the leak.
©2016 the Daily News (Los Angeles) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
