The Los Angeles City Council on 26 January voted to ban new oil and gas wells and to phase out existing wells over a period of 5 years, following decades of complaints by residents who have grappled with health problems from living near drilling sites.
The measure, introduced by council members Nury Martinez and Paul Krekorian in December 2020, is part of a broader push by the county and the state of California to establish more distance between drilling and people and transition away from climate-changing fossil fuels.
The region includes one of the largest urban oil fields in the country, with more than 5,000 active wells in LA County and more than 1,000 active or idle wells within city limits. More than half a million people in LA live within a quarter-mile of active wells that release air pollutants such as benzene, hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, and formaldehyde, and the pollution disproportionately affects Black and Latino residents.
“Today, we are reinforcing our commitment to environmental justice,” Martinez said during a news conference.
“For far too long, neighborhood drilling has disproportionally affected the health of our low-income communities of color,” Martinez said. “From freeways to power plants, our frontline communities bear the brunt of pollution and climate impacts.”
Research shows that people who live near oil and gas drilling sites are at greater risk of preterm births, asthma, respiratory disease, and cancer. Living close to wells is also linked to weakened lung function and wheezing, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Research.
“This is not just a matter of public health and safety … it’s also a matter of justice,” Jasmin Vargas, a senior organizer at the nonprofit Food & Water Watch, told council members before the vote. “I think this day has been a long time coming.”