CHC Files Suit Against LA County over Baldwin Hills Oil Drilling
CHC and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit on November 25th against the County of Los Angeles. The lawsuit challenges the county for failing to provide adequate health and environmental safeguards against the dangers of expanded oil drilling in the densely-populated neighborhoods of south Los Angeles and Culver City. For more information, read our November 2008 Health Matters, CHC's policy update. Lawsuit. After five public hearings, hours of testimony and volumes of written comments from residents, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the final EIR for certification and adopted the Community Standards District. The Board's approval of the FEIR and CSD still fail the community on a number of issues including, among others, failure to revise and re-circulate the EIR and to set the annual cap of wells at 53, instead of the 15-20 PXP quoted in their literature. The Baldwin Hills Oil Field has operated since 1924 without community oversight or an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to assess its impact on community health and safety. The oil field operator, Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP), now proposes to expand the drilling by over 1,000 new wells prompting LA County finally to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and establish a Community Standards District for the oil field. The two-square-mile Baldwin Hills Oil Field is the last large-scale undeveloped open space in South and West Los Angeles. Newsletters
Read the latest Newsletters for an update on activities. October 6-10, 2008. Sept. 22-October 3, 2008. Sept. 15-19, 2008. Sept. 8-15, 2008. Sept. 1-5, 2008. Join & Contact
Ensure that the Baldwin Hills supports environmental and public health. Attend GBHA's meetings to learn more and to lend your support! The next GBHA meeting is on Tuesday, December 9th. For more information on GBHA, contact Bethany Ulrich, Community Liaison, at 323.295.9372 x223 or via e-mail Bethany Ulrich. GBHA Brochure. Other Information
In addition to the GBHA effort to be an active participant in the development of a CSD that protects lives, property and the environment, there are other grassroots efforts to address community concerns. The Greater Baldwin Hills Alliance website also has background information on the Community Standards District, oil and community health; Baldwin Hills and African Americans and much more. A petition asking the County Board of Supervisors to assure health, safety and property values is also available.
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