Ticking Time Bomb Under Los Angeles?
Laura Leavitt - Courage Campaign
For months, a gas leak in Los Angeles has been spewing 1,200 TONS of methane gas into the air every day. The leak is emitting as much global-warming pollution as six coal-burning power plants and seven million cars.(1)
Local residents are suffering from nosebleeds, migraines, and dizziness.(2) Pet dogs, cats, and fish are dropping dead.(3) Thousands of residents have been evacuated and two schools were shut down.(4) And there are no concrete plans in place to stop the leak for good.
News of this out-of-control gas leak is now making national headlines everyday. It’s been declared the worst environmental disaster since the BP oil spill. LA’s Mayor Eric Garcetti referred to the gas leak site as a “crime scene.”(5) And the air space above it is so toxic that it’s been declared a no-fly zone!(6)
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Now so much gas has leaked that the authorities are warning that one small spark could cause a massive explosion.(7) And SoCalGas, the gas company owned by Sempra Energy -- one of the biggest fracking companies in the world -- that’s responsible for the leak, just got caught lying to the public about the amount of cancer-causing benzene that's leaking into the environment.(8)
The crisis is spiraling out of control at all levels. And local authorities are still scrambling to figure out what to do. It’s time for our national leaders to step in before it’s too late.
SoCalGas has screwed up the situation so badly that they damaged the well head while trying to seal it, which could lead to a full-on Deepwater Horizon-style blowout.(9)
The latest revelations that SoCalGas has been lying to the public about benzene levels (they claim it was an oversight) makes you wonder what else the public doesn't know yet -- especially on the heels of what’s happened to the water system in Flint, Michigan.(10) And the fact that California Governor Jerry Brown took 74 days to respond to this crisis in Porter Ranch has many questioning whether it has to do with his sister -- Kathleen Brown -- sitting on the board of Sempra Energy, the parent company of SoCalGas.(11)
The local community is fighting hard to shut down the source of the gas leak and drain the facility responsible for the leak, and thousands of Courage Campaign members and activists from Save Porter Ranch, Food and Water Watch, and Sierra Club have rallied, signed petitions, blasted our message throughout social media, and attended public hearings to stand with them. And still, SoCalGas and state and local authorities have failed to adequately protect residents and shut down the leak.(12)
Patrick, now we need to turn up the pressure and support the local community by demanding federal leadership step in immediately.
Thank you for your courage,
Laura, along with Annie, Eddie, Emma, Ernesto, Kelsey, Lindsay, Moonyoung, Paul, Scottie, and Tim (the Courage team)
1. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2443?t=6&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 2. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2467?t=8&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 3. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2442?t=10&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 4. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2351?t=11&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2352?t=12&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, and http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2353?t=14&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 5. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2468?t=16&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 6. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2358?t=17&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2359?t=18&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2356?t=19&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, and http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2357?t=21&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 7. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2444?t=23&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 8. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2440?t=25&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 9. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2469?t=27&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 10. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2470?t=29&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 11. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2363?t=30&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2364?t=31&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP, and http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2472?t=33&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP 12. http://act.couragecampaign.org/go/2473?t=35&akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP  |
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Courage Campaign fights for a more progressive California and country. We are an online community powered by more than 1.2 million members. http://www.couragecampaign.org?akid=2467.2075759.fPw9EP |
