A state agency that oversees operations of the Also Canyon underground natural gas-storage field — site of the nation’s largest-ever methane leak six years ago — voted unanimously Thursday, Nov. 4, to increase the capacity of the field to 41 billion cubic feet.
Related: Major developments in the Aliso Canyon gas leak
The proposals, officials said, were part of the agency’s long-range plan to eventually close the facility in the most effective way. Nonetheless, nearly 60 neighbors of the facility and activists called the agency, urging lawmakers not to increase gas storage at the site. Residents and environmental advocates were swift to condemn the vote.
The 2015 blowout released about 100,000 tons of methane and other chemicals into the air, sickening scores of residents and forcing them to relocate temporarily. Hundreds of lawsuits were filed, cascading into a $1.8 billion accord last month when Southern California Gas Co. and its parent company, Sempra Energy, agreed to settle the claims filed by nearly 36,000 clients. Nearly 97% of 36,000 plaintiffs need to sign up the agreement for the settlement to move forward.
On Thursday, CPUC Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said that she felt “compelled to propose the increase” of the storage capacity of the field from 34 billion cubic feet to 41 billion cubic feet ahead of the arrival of winter.
She added that the action the board was taking didn’t mean “to diminish our ability to take steps and all of the steps that we need to take to decommission” the Aliso Canyon field.
The facility has been operating since 2018 at about 50% of capacity. Officials called Thursday’s decision an effort to ensure that the regional energy supply would be sufficient for consumers during the upcoming colder months.
Commissioners considered two proposals for the field’s increase:
–The plan that was approved will allow the utility to increase its storage capacity to 41 billion cubic feet, about 60% of its capacity.
–The proposal rejected would have allowed the gas company to beef up its storage capacity to 68.6 billion cubic feet, which would be closer to 100% capacity.
CPUC Commissioner Guzman Aceves said in a statement ahead of the meeting that bringing the capacity to 41 billion cubic feet limit would be “safe and reliable.”
She added that while the agency was planning to reduce or eliminate the use of Aliso Canyon by 2027 or 2035, or anytime in between, the increase in storage capacity will help the region to get through the winter.
The news about the proposals comes as the agency, public officials, San Fernando Valley residents and environmental activists all wrestle over the future of the facility, the largest gas storage facility of its kind in California.
A representative with SoCalGas said in a statement that “with projections for higher than normal natural gas prices nationwide and repair work on an interstate pipeline limiting natural gas supplies to our region, SoCalGas storage facilities, including Aliso Canyon, will play a key and essential role in delivering reliable energy and keeping energy prices stable for Southern Californians this winter.”
She added: “In the last two years, Aliso Canyon has provided support to the region’s electric and gas systems on more than 150 days. The use of this facility has helped keep energy prices stable and prevent outages during periods of peak energy demand.”
During Thursday’s meeting, residents who live near Aliso Canyon said they still smell gas and have been haunted by memories of the disastrous 2015 leak that forced them to flee their homes. One Porter Ranch resident said she feared to open her windows and felt like she lived in a prison because of that. Another caller said thinking about potential Aliso Canyon expansion made him experience emotional distress.
Helen Attai, a resident of Granada Hills called the Aliso Canyon site dangerous and asked commissioners to vote against expanding the field.
“It’s gonna be more withdrawals and more injections,” she said. “Every time there’s an injection, we get affected by that.”
Food & Water Watch’s California Director Alexandra Nagy said that “allowing any increase in storage capacity at SoCalGas’ Aliso Canyon facility is not only dangerous; it is needless. SoCalGas and its shareholders are the only ones who profit from this disastrous glut of natural gas in the backyard of their ratepayers.”
Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee, whose district includes communities impacted by the gas leak, said “the PUC decision today is disappointing and the complete opposite of what our state leaders owe this community. The gas leak at Aliso six years ago upended the lives and tens of thousands of residents. I will continue to stand with our community and demand for the expedited closure of this facility.”
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein issued a joint statement ahead of the vote, calling the state agency to draft a plan to permanently phase out the facility while ensuring uninterrupted utility services.
“It is increasingly clear that we must close this facility in order to protect the safety of Californians. It is critical that the California Public Utility Commission outline concrete steps to close this facility while ensuring the reliability of our power grid as we continue the transition to cleaner electricity, heating and cooling,” the statement said.
Congressman Brad Sherman also sent a letter to the CPUC, saying the decision to increase the working gas storage capacity at Aliso Canyon was “a poor indication of the progress towards the closure of Aliso Canyon, that the commission is this week entertaining proposals for expanding its use. Rather than increase pressure within the same facility that six years ago became the site of the nation’s largest methane blowout, I urge you to act swiftly and to take additional measures to permanently close Aliso Canyon.”
The blowout started in October 2015, sending tons of methane and other chemicals into the atmosphere, shutting down schools and forcing residents from nearby communities to evacuate their homes.
Following the leak, former Gov. Jerry Brown directed the CPUC to come up with a plan to close the facility by 2027. Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed the decision in 2019.
In September, SoCalGas agreed to a settlement payout of $1.8 billion to the 36,000 plaintiffs involved in litigation against the utility spurred by the mammoth 2015 blowout.
At a recent press conference devoted to the six-year anniversary of the gas leak, Senator Henry Stern, who represents communities impacted by the blowout,said the settlement was good news for the victims impacted by the leak but the risks remained while Aliso Canyon remained open.
“To assume that that’s the end of the problem is a big mistake,” he said. “It’s not just for the people of the North Valley, it’s for the entire state of California and the future of climate policy. This CPUC decision will just be one more test of our will to actually shut Aliso Canyon down. I don’t want to see the public utility commissioners further add weight to the lie that we depend on fossil fuels and we will be lost without them.”
"gas" - Google News
November 05, 2021 at 03:01AM
https://ift.tt/3EO8nXb
6 years after disastrous Aliso Canyon gas leak, officials vote unanimously to expand facility - LA Daily News
"gas" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2LxAFvS
https://ift.tt/3fcD5NP
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "6 years after disastrous Aliso Canyon gas leak, officials vote unanimously to expand facility - LA Daily News"
Post a Comment