In Historic Move, L.A. County to Phase Out Oil Wells

The long history of oil extraction in the nation's most populous county is entering its final chapter.

1 minute read

September 17, 2021, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


An oil well is pictured with buildings in the city of Los Angeles in the background.

The Inglewood Oil Field is located smack dab in the middle of the most populous county in the United States. | Dogora Sun / Shutterstock

"Los Angeles County took the first steps toward winding down oil extraction in unincorporated areas, reports Dharna Noor of a decision by the County Board of Supervisors earlier this week. Unincorporated areas account for 65 percent of the county's land area.

The vote prohibits the permitting of new oil wells and launches a process to evaluate existing oil wells. "Currently, existing oil wells cannot legally be shuttered until owners recoup the costs of drilling, so the evaluation will determine if costs have been recouped for each site," explains Noor.

"The measure would also designate all existing oil and gas extraction activities as 'nonconforming' uses, which could allow county officials to revoke drilling permits."

The new law has the potential to shut down 1,600 wells, including the 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Field—the largest urban oil field in the United States. "More than 1 million people live within a 5-mile (8-kilometer) radius of the field, including several neighborhoods that are mostly populated by people of color," according to Noor.

The article includes details about the environmental and public health risk of urban oil extraction—making the county's vote a historic environmental justice victory.

Additional coverage of the vote is available in a separate article by Drew Costley.

Thursday, September 16, 2021 in Gizmodo

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1 - KQED

Tents inhabited by unhoused people lined up on sidewalk in Los Angeles, California in front of industrial building.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling

An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

July 1 - Times of San Diego

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.