Two months after a blown-out natural gas well was capped near Los Angeles and nearly half of the 8,000 families evacuated have yet to return. Many have concerns of other leaks while some say they packed up to escape health problems including nausea and nosebleeds and respiratory problems caused by the leak at the SoCalGas storage facility.The concerns are in Porter Ranch and were renewed last weekend when there was a small gas leak and oil spill at another company in Aliso Canyon which is one of the nation’s largest natural gas storage fields.
Officials with SoCalgas contend that public health agencies have determined the air in the community is safe. However, the courts have ordered the company to extend payments for temporary housing while homes are tested for chemicals. Another 300 complaints from residents have been made after the all-clear signal was given following the capping in February.
The company blames the county for some of the concerns because it continues to push for housing extensions while performing tests for some 200 compounds.
“The Department of Public Health’s methodology appears designed to test everything that may be found in indoor air regardless of any relationship with the gas leak and we expect they will fail to produce any results that help residents understand whether the gas leak impacted their indoor air,” said Chris Gilbride, a spokesman for SoCalGas.
As a result of the continued extensions, SoCalGas plans to move some of the displaced residents from hotels to longer-term apartments with kitchens.
