Mujeres de la Tierra

Blue Ribbon Cutting for Gibson Mariposa Park in El Monte, October 2011  

Baldwin Hills Oil Wells,
Los Angeles

Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP), an independent oil and gas company primarily engaged in the activities of acquiring, developing, exploring and producing oil and gas in its core areas of operation has been given the right to drill over 1,000 new oil wells in Los Angeles neighborhoods.

After five public hearings, hours of testimony and volumes of written comments from residents, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for certification and adopted the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District (CSD) in October 2008. The Board's approval of the FEIR and CSD still fail the community on a number of issues including, among others, failure to revise and re-circulate the EIR and to set the annual cap of wells at 53, instead of the 15-20 PXP quoted in their literature.

Four lawsuits have been filed against the county since the Board of Supervisors certified the FEIR and CSD. Community groups and individuals filing the suits feel the EIR and CSD do not provide adequate health and environmental safeguards and that there was a violation of CEQA law (California Environmental Quality Act) by failing to create an adequate EIR before CSD.

While the battle for greater protection is played out in the courts, the current CSD calls for numerous departments to start implementing safety and protection plans on which we, as concerned citizens, will continue to keep a watchful eye on the protections that did pass in the current CSD.

We are doing this through:

• Recording odor complaints on a community monitored log: Baldwin Hills Tracking Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=THq6fJDEe_2f0RA25ceaKAOQ_3d_3d
• Monitoring the progress of the implementation plans called for in the CSD
• Participating in the Community Advisory Panel

Thursday March 26, 2009 was the first convening of the Community Advisory Panel (CAP), instituted by the CSD passed in October 2008. The CAP, chosen by the staff of the Department of Regional Planning, is made up of community members who represent homeowners associations, community groups, school districts, Culver City, LA City, etc. and is facilitated by staff from the Department of Regional Planning. Mujeres de la Tierra President, Irma Muñoz is a member of the CAP. The full list of CAP members, chosen by the staff of the Department of Regional Planning (DRP) and facilitated by them can be viewed here.

At this meeting, the community heard mentioned for the first time of the 2009 Drilling, Redrilling, Well Abandonment Plan, which is supposed to outline all the activities on the field for 2009.  

On October 28, 2008, The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District (CSD) which established new development standards and operating procedures for oil and gas production in the area. However, issues remain regarding the ability of the ordinance to adequately address the surrounding community’s concerns related to “sights, sounds, smells and safety”. On August 4, 2009, under Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas’ urging, the Board of Supervisors directed County staff to conduct a review of the CSD and report back with recommended modifications.

Come share your ideas as the Baldwin Hills CSD Review gets underway!

The battle for a better EIR is playing out in the courts. In the meantime, we want to ensure the county is correctly implementing the current CSD and still involving the community every step of the way.

Meetings are open to the public.

Please call Irma Muñoz with questions/comments at 323.350.3306

Improve our neighborhoods, community health and
the air we breathe.

To file a complaint, please call:

800.CUT.SMOG (800.288.7664)

www.aqmd.gov