Oil Drilling in Unincorporated LA County
There are hundreds of active and idle oil wells in unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County spread across LA County Supervisor District 2, District 4, and District 5.
Living near an active oil & gas extraction site comes at a deadly cost. There is an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence linking exposure to toxic chemicals from oil drilling to negative health outcomes including, nausea, headaches, asthma, lung and heart disease, birth defects, cancer, and more. In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic that attacks the body’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems, it is even more important to enact strong regulations to protect the health & safety of frontline communities in Los Angeles.
Communities of color and low-income communities are most severely and disproportionately impacted by oil drilling in their neighborhoods. We demand an end to environmental racism and call on the County to protect people not polluters by enacting strong regulations to phase out urban oil extraction. The first step must be a 2,500-ft setback for all oil wells.
LA County Sustainability Plan
In April 2019, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the Our County Sustainability Plan that calls for the phasing out of all fossil fuel infrastructure by 2045. As an important first step in this process, LA County should begin phasing out production in areas that are within 2,500-foot of where we live, work, play and pray. LA County should also develop a just transition plan to prepare for a world beyond dirty fuels that is safe and healthy for everyone. Unfortunately their current regulations fall far too short in reaching the vision and goals set out by the Sustainability Plan.
LA County Oil Regulations
LA County’s Department of Regional Planning (DRP) is in the process of updating their Title 22 Oil Well Ordinance for the first time in almost 40 years. This rule oversees oil drilling in unincorporated parts of LA County (excluding the Inglewood Oil Field which is regulated by the Baldwin Hills Community Standard District).
Their first draft is inadequate as it recommends a mere 500-ft buffer zone for new wells and no protections for communities living near existing wells. It also doesn’t provide sufficient protections by updating its minimum bonding requirements. This draft only deepens environmental racism and oil industry profits. We need a science-based, 2,500-ft buffer zone around new and existing wells to protect our communities and climate.
Campaign Updates
LA Elected Officials submit letter for strong oil regulations
38 Elected Officials from across LA County submitted this letter calling for strong regulations, including 2,500-ft setbacks, moratorium on new fossil fuel permitting until bonding requirements are increased, and a plan to phase out all production to meet our climate goals. December, 1, 2020
80 Organizations submit letter for 2,500′ oil setback
Sierra Club and our allies have continued to make our voices heard to demand stronger regulations to protect our communities and climate. On October 14, 2020 we submitted a letter with over 80 other organizations, including labor unions, public health advocates, faith institutions, community based organizations and environmental justice allies to call on LA County to prohibit any new and existing oil and gas drilling within 2,500 feet of a home, playground, hospital, or school. This technical legal letter was also submitted to make this case.
Sierra Club and Allies Initial Comments
On April 13, 2020, DRP published their initial draft and accepted their first round of public comments on this draft until September 23, 2020. Our activists submitted 1,231 comments. Submit your comment today by going to sc.org/laoil
Sierra Club, NRDC, Center for Biological Diversity, and STAND LA joinly submitted this comment letter to DRP and LA County Supervisors outlining our concerns with the draft Title 22 Oil Well Ordinance. May 28, 2020
Calls about Public Engagement Process During COVID19
On April 8, 2020, Sierra Club and allies sent this letter to LA County Department of Regional Planning about their plans to update Title 22 regarding the Oil Well Ordinance outlining our concerns and recommendations for robust public engagement given the pandemic. LA County Supervisors were sent this letter as a follow up to the request for a robust public engagement process around the Oil Well Ordinance update on April 21, 2020.
Historic Phase Out Vote
In 2021, Sierra Club, in coalition with other environmental orgs — including STANDLA — collected a letter in support of full phase out with over 140 labor, faith and community orgs and submitted it to the county. (Read the just transition labor letter here.) Volunteers also collected a letter in support of the phase-out signed by 45 elected officials (including 9 city council members). The County voted unanimously on three motions related to oil and gas drilling. One which would identify and help clean up idle wells. One which would expand the Just Transition taskforce and another that banned new oil drilling and directed the County to write a motion to begin the process of phasing out existing oil drilling. (This motion included the Inglewood Oil Field.) You can read the press release here.
This vote was historic, no other county in the country had begun the process of phasing out existing oil drilling.
Take Action
Share the word on social media with our hashtag #NoDrillingWhereWereLiving Find sample social media posts here
