The next big fight centering on the massive natural gas leak above Porter Ranch will likely be over money.
Last week the Southern California Gas Co. announced it would pay $8.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by air regulators.
Now it looks to some, especially residents, that the community got short-changed.
Sure, the settlement included $1 million for a health study.
But the district gets $5.65 million, which will reimburse it for air monitoring costs, fund a $1 million renewal natural gas production project, and put $4.65 million in its general fund, said South Coast Air Quality Management District spokesman Sam Atwood.
Now there is a movement underway to get the AQMD to designate its share of the general fund allocation for the health study.
Porter Ranch Dr. Jeffrey Nordella has been studying about 50 residents of the community that are still suffering from health symptoms relating to the leak and he’s concerned about the amount being set aside.
Nordella said nobody yet has a good idea of the lingering effects of the leak that spewed nearly 100,000 metric tons of methane into the community for 112 days.
For example, Nordella said a mother and daughter he was treating in the community moved out of state and reported feeling fine. But when their furniture arrived, the leak exposure symptoms returned, he said.
“If you are going to do a study it should go out three to five years. If it doesn’t, it will be subpar. I would think that the $1 million is incredibly under funding a study … and I wouldn’t put a lot of value in the conclusions,” said Nordella.
State Senator Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park, said he is onboard with the idea of putting a lot more green behind the study.
He called the $1 million a “paltry” amount.
“It doesn’t come close to making the community whole from the losses they incurred. The other concern I have is that a vast majority of the funds are being diverted out of the community and that doesn’t seem fair,” he said.
He would like to see local elected officials get involved with the effort.
There is movement in that direction already.
Matt Pakucko, President of Save Porter Ranch, said the group has plans to meet with Los Angeles County supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s office this week to discuss the issue.
“We’re going to say put that money right into the health study. SoCalGas can’t dictate where the AQMD spends their money,” he said.
Pakucko is dismissive of the settlement.
“They are going to do a minimal job of funding the study. It sounds like a bunch of (bull) if there is only a $1 million health study. Come on. You couldn’t buy two houses up here with a million dollars,” Pakucko said. “If they turn around and use the rest of that $4.65 million on the health study, that will be great.”
Kuehl’s representatives could not be reached for comment.
Atwood said that the community can certainly ask for the funds.
“Our governing board decides how the funds in our general fund are expended. Any member of the public can contact our board members directly, come to a committee meeting or a board meeting and make a comment (on things) that would affect air quality in the region,” he said.
So when Porter Ranch residents finally make the trek to Diamond Bar to ask for the $5.65 million, the right thing to do would be to give it to them.
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