5 years after the largest gas blowout in U.S. history at Aliso Canyon in L.A.
John,
Five years ago today, on October 23, 2015, SoCalGas discovered a significant leak at their Aliso Canyon gas storage facility in Los Angeles.
It took operators until February 11, 2016, 111 days later, to contain this massive methane and toxin release; this is the largest gas blowout in U.S. history.And while families continue to suffer from the aftermath, SoCalGas continues to operate the Aliso Canyon facility and California Governor Newsom has allowed it to increase gas use by 3,000%!
With worsening droughts and climate-fueled wildfires year after year, the last thing California and the country need is to carry on using deadly fossil fuels. Newsom MUST lead our country in the fight against dirty fossil fuel infrastructure that accelerates climate chaos.
That’s why today, and every day, we continue to work closely alongside frontline communities to shut down the dangerous Aliso Canyon facility and combat catastrophic climate change. Will you join us in demanding Governor Newsom take action to combat climate change?
The 2015 SoCalGas Aliso Canyon blowout was the first gas leak ever seen from space. It displaced 8,000 families from their homes and spewed 109,000 metric tons of climate-wrecking methane and carcinogens into the surrounding L.A. community. Thousands of people and pets were sickened. Many died during this disaster.
The massive blowout is over, but Aliso Canyon still leaks methane and toxins every day, poisoning children, adults, and pets, and accelerating climate change. When use of Aliso Canyon ramps up, so do toxic emissions, making nearby neighbors already suffering from the initial disaster even sicker. This ongoing health crisis is unacceptable, especially on top of a pandemic.
For the last 10 years, our fire seasons in California have shattered records. 2020’s fire season tops them all. We've experienced some of the worst air quality in decades due to smoke, which has further exacerbated climate change.
Shutting down dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure like Aliso Canyon — the 4th largest gas storage facility in the country — is a critical part of moving toward 100% renewable energy.
Nowhere else is an elected official so well positioned to boldly lead the world on combating catastrophic climate change than Governor Newsom is in California. Governor Newsom has the executive authority to shut Aliso down and has promised the shutdown of this dangerous facility to families many times. Now it’s time for him to take action.
No more studies, no more delays. It's time to protect the health of millions of adults, children, and pets living in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley next to this dangerous, decrepit, and life-threatening facility.
Alexandra Nagy
California Director
Food & Water Action and Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Action and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Watch, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate. This email was sent to [email protected] - and we're glad you got it, because it's one of the most important ways you can reclaim political power, hold elected officials accountable and resist corporate control.
