Former PRNC President Issam Najm presented an update on the status of the work to close the Aliso Canyon Gas Field at our January 11, 2023 Meeting.
He shared a PowerPoint presentation with a video of the blowout which is an impactful reminder of the vast quantities of gas and contaminants that continuously erupted from the well for four months. October 23, 2015 is a day he calls Our Day in Infamy.
The timeline from the blowout to now, includes the May 2016 signing of SB380 by Governor Brown to study the feasibility of closing the gas field by 2027. The actual CPUC proceeding regarding the closure began February 2017. In November 2019 Governor Newsom asked for expedited closure. In December 2019 the City Council passed a resolution calling for the closure. In January 2020 the County called for the closure.
Finally, progress was made in September 2022 in that CPUC staff put forward a proposed timeline for the closure in 2027. This roadmap is part of a larger ongoing proceeding, which is tedious and like a court proceeding. Various entities have applied to specifically be a Party to the proceeding, which allows them to submit testimony and responses for the record. Issam applied and is a Party to the proceeding as a Porter Ranch Resident. At the time he applied, he was told by the City that he could not represent the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council or the City, because the City Attorney would do that.
Many of the other Parties are other companies and entities who would profit by the gas field staying open and they are actively pressing their case. Issam’s participation has taken a significant amount of time and energy to submit testimony and attend proceedings and this has proven to be a marathon of a learning process.
The proposed roadmap to close Aliso is focused on providing gas supply on the coldest day of the winter. The current estimated demand in that scenario is 4.975 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd). The gas supply without using Aliso is 4.12 Bcfd. The chart he presented shows the reduction in demand from now to 2027 to not need Aliso. On the lower half of the chart it shows that Aliso currently holds 41 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Each year is shown with a planned reduction in the amount held in Aliso until in 2027, none is held. These numbers are being disputed. The steps to achieve the reduction in demand emanate from gas reduction at gas powered electric generation plants.
Now that there is a proposal on the table, the CPUC will hear testimony and rebuttals and after that the process is unclear. Ultimately the five-member commission would have to vote for plan.
Which brings us to the question of what can we do?
This is a long term high stakes effort with those who want to keep Aliso open working continuously to push their case. Silence on the part of those who want to close it makes it easier to stay open. We should not give up. It is time now and is always time to make good noise. Of note is that the City Attorney in representing the City, which did vote in favor of closing Aliso, has been completely silent. Not presenting any testimony. The same is true for the County. We are not being represented or protected by our City or County.
The Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council and residents can urge the City and County to speak up and represent us. We can send letters to the PUC and Governor, submit comments on the PUC proceeding website and give public comment at every PUC meeting regardless of whether this item is agendized.
During the Q&A, PRNC Board Member Jason Hector inquired about pipelines that were not working at capacity and Issam confirmed that pipelines did blow up in 2017, and while a normal business would have put them back in service as fast a possible, that is not the case. They are in service, but not to their original capacity, which is an unknown number.
View the presentation in the meeting:
To submit comments to the PUC proceeding website: https://apps.cpuc.ca.gov/apex/f?p=401:56:0::NO:RP,57,RIR:P5_PROCEEDING_SELECT:I1702002
Click on public comment at the top of the page to submit your comment.
For further questions, please contact:
Issam.najm [at] wqts.com
View current air monitoring website
