Porter Ranch residents relieved that natural gas leak stopped

Porter Ranch area residents had mixed emotions Thursday after Southe Califoia Gas Co. aounced that it halted the flow of natural gas from a leaking well at its Aliso Canyon storage facility near Porter Ranch.

The leaking well, which was detected on Oct. 23, prompted more than 2,100 air-related complaints and the relocation of more than 6,000 households as well as students at two schools.

Resident Coie Hayden retued to the area Thursday to see if what she had heard was true.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, wiping away tears. A Porter Ranch resident for 10 years, she said she and her husband and children relocated to a hotel in December.

“I’m moving back immediately” she said. “All those little things we lost became so big. But I’m a positive person. I’m just so happy right now.”

• VIDEO: Coie Hayden talks about stopping the gas leak

For Paula Cracium, president of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council, it was the first piece of really good news in more than 100 days.

“I think we’re all really excited that this could be the begiing of the end of an incredible community crisis,” she said.

But the community is not ready to move back into their homes until the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirms to everyone that it is safe, she said.

According to a Frequently Asked Questions sheet, county health officials said residents can safely move back into their homes after the state confirms that the leaking well has been sealed and odors are no longer causing symptoms.

“Once the well is sealed, the Department of Public Health expects to see further reductions in chemical emissions that an cause odors and/or potential health effects,” the FAQ sheet stated. “If at any time Public Health observes any unusual findings in air monitoring data or health impacts to residents, we will notify those who may be affected and take any action necessary to protect health.”

Councilman Mitchell Englander, who lives in nearby Granada Hills and whose mother-in-law lives in Porter Ranch, said the news will “allow this community to begin breathing a healthy sigh of relief.”

“The next several phases are critical to ensuring the capped well is certified, the entire facility is safe, and this community can begin to recover,” he said in a statement.

But Matt Pakucko, president and co-founder of the community activist group Save Porter Ranch, said residents relocated at SoCalGas’ expense need to be given more time to move back into their homes and real assurances the community is safe.

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“The bare minium is 30 days for us to go home and after more thorough testing, inside the homes, the soil and the oily resident that’s all over Porter Ranch, including their homes,” he said. “Kids are going to crawl around in that? It’s on trees and vegetable gardens, plus inside people’s homes...Is it really safe to go into our homes?”

Though there may be some exceptions, residents who temporarily relocated to short term housing, such as hotels, will generally have up to 8 days to transition home, according to the Gas Co. Those who have been placed in rental housing will generally have through the agreed term of their leases to retu home.

It’s not enough for the state to certify that the leak has stopped and to measure air quality to determine whether or not it’s safe, Pakucko said.

“In Flint Michigan, officials say there’s nothing wrong with the water. We don’t trust them. We don’t believe them. How do they know it’s safe. What have they tested?”

Public Health and other agencies will continue working to restore conditions in the Porter Ranch Community, according to the FAQ sheet. Methane and other chemicals of conce are gases and thus do not settle and contaminate soils. However, residents should avoid contact with fruits, vegetables and any surfaces that appears to be coated with an oily residue.

“If you see any oily resident on food or other surfaces, call SoCalGas to send staff to assess and clean-up as needed.”

Drinking water is brought in from other areas “so it would not be affected by the gas leak,” the FAQ sheet stated.

Odors are not expected to continue once the gas leak is stopped and residents should contact the Gas Co. and the South Coast Air Quality Management District right away to investigate the source of the odor, officials said.

Mike Mizrahi, spokesman for SoCalGas said his team was ecstatic when they leaed the leak had stopped. Controlling the leak is step one. Cement and confirm stoppage is step two and three he said.

“We were all very, very pleased,” he said as he stood at Tampa Ave and Sesnon in front of the green hillside of Porter Ranch. Cement trucks and workers could be seen driving up to the gates community. “We’re excited for the community that this is over now.”

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