Baldwin Hills drilling, courtesy NRDC
Los Angeles, that city we love to hate, is becoming a city to emulate. It’s demonstrating its more angelic nature with bold, unprecedented action that will upend over a century of oil drilling in its midst, radically improving the quality of life of its many residents who’ve been living in close proximity to toxic fossil fuel extraction. Los Angeles contains the largest urban oil field in the country. There are thousands of active oil wells in the greater L.A. area amongst a dense population of more than 10 million people. But not for much longer. On Tuesday night, LA city planners are hosting a public meeting to vet a proposed Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance that would amend the municipal code to prohibit new oil and gas drilling activities and make existing extraction a noncomforming use in all zones.
The proposed Oil Ordinance would (1) phase out all oil drilling activities in the City of Los Angeles by immediately banning new oil and gas extraction, and (2) require the removal of existing operations after an amortization period.
Environmental justice coalition Stand-LA organized diligently for over a decade to make this happen. Please see their website for more background. And try to attend this historic virtual hearing. We can’t think of a better civics lesson in how to overcome the power of an industry that’s been operating for over a century like a Master of the Universe. Not for more much longer, and not in LA.
WHEN
Tuesday, August 30: Presentation – 6:00 – 6:20 PM
Q + A – 6:20 – 6:45 PM
Public Hearing – 6:45 – 8:30 PM
WHERE
Zoom Webinar: https://planning-lacity-org.zoom.us/j/82422551971
Webinar ID: 824 2255 1971 | Password: 186100
Dial by Phone:
US: +1 213 338 8477 or +1 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 824 2255 197