LA City’s Move on Oil Wells in the City + South Park
Why should you be interested in LA city’s interest in an ordinance to prohibit citywide new oil and gas extraction AND the phasing out of existing operations? Because we have an oil well site in South Park – between Hill and Broadway and Pico and 14th Place.
The newly opened The Eden residences overlook the oil well site along with The Emerald residence on Hill, and an existing residential building, The Portsmouth Hotel. Recently SPNA was contacted by a resident at The Eden asking for help because of “loud banging and working until midnight” at the site.
SPNA has previously written and testified against the oil well site because of violations, safety, environmental hazards, health concerns, and noise as has the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) - https://dlanc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-17-Broadway-Oil-Drill-Site-Followup-Letter.pdf.
The South Park Nasco Petroleum LLC site has been fined $1.5 million for nearly 600 violations of state regulations including a major oil spill in 2006 when hot crude and oil waste bubbled up from underground filling the nearby basement of an apartment building.
The city is moving forward with an ordinance that would phase out existing operations. LA City Planning will present information on Ordinance #187.709. You have an opportunity to learn and comment on this ordinance on Tuesday, June 3 from 5:30-6:30 pm on a webinar.
Register here.
The Webinar ID: 896 9610 0579, Webinar Passcode: 161331.
If you have questions, want to provide feedback, or want to sign up for updates, email planning.oildrilling@lacity.org.
By Debra Shrout