The Department of Public Health recommends taking action to better protect residents from oil operations that are sometimes only a few feet from where people live, work, eat, play and study.
There are more than 5,000 oil wells scattered across Los Angeles County, with more than 3,000 of them active, and at least some of them located within a few feet of homes, restaurants, schools, parks, or other public areas.
A new report from the county Department of Public Health suggests the urban wells negatively impact the health of those who spend time near them, and recommends increasing regulation to mitigate those effects.
From KPCC:
"The study comes at a time when oil and gas companies in greater Los Angeles are under increasing pressure from environmental justice organizations who question whether it make sense to continue oil extraction in dense, urban areas — and whether the practice aligns with the state's climate goals."
For many years, there has been ample anecdotal evidence—including an incident several years ago when EPA officials became ill after touring a site—that living near the wells causes "nose bleeds, headaches and difficulty breathing," but officially studying the issue has been challenging because it's difficult to determine what is caused by air pollution from the wells, and what is caused by air pollution from everything else.
A recent study from Occidental, however, found "heightened rates of asthma in densely populated Los Angeles neighborhoods located near active oil-development sites."
And, according to KPCC, "the City of Los Angeles is currently studying the public health benefits and economic consequences of phasing out oil wells around schools, houses and other public places."
"Uduak-Joe Ntuk, the city’s petroleum administrator, said he would use the county’s report in his analysis, but had no word on when it would be completed."
FULL STORY: LA County isn’t doing enough to protect people living near oil wells, study says
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
New York’s Deadliest Neighborhoods for Pedestrians
Pedestrian deaths rose last year, but remain below pre-2020 levels.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.