Sierra Club demands action on Porter Ranch gas leak

Porter Ranch, CA – Today, the South Coast Air Quality Management District provided Californians who have been forced to abandon their homes and their daily lives and those concerned by Southern California Gas Company’s methane disaster an opportunity to speak out and demand answers.

Due to the hundreds of affected and concerned citizens and families who attended and testified today, the hearing was not concluded and will continue on January 16th at Granada Hills Charter High School.

Southern California Gas Company has admitted that it does not know when it can plug the leak that has spilled 79,000 metric tons of methane, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people and families.

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:

“The citizens of Porter Ranch have waited far too long to be provided a platform to demand answers about Southern California Gas Company’s disaster. Its failures to ensure the community’s safety above ALL else are a painful reminder of the dangers we face from the oil and gas industry.

“We join the hundreds of residents’ calls to have the Aliso Canyon gas facility immediately shut down, and fully support the displaced residents financially in returning home.

“The citizens of Porter Ranch and people throughout California and our country deserve to have strong and comprehensive safeguards put in place. Governor Brown can no longer hesitate in passing strong methane protections for all Californians. The EPA, which proposed safeguards for new and modified sources of methane in August, must institute robust rules that will protect us from not only new and modified, but existing sources as well.

“But that alone will not be enough.

“Until we as a country say ‘no’ to coal, ‘no’ to oil, and ‘no’ to gas, disasters like Porter Ranch will continue to occur at an alarming rate.”