The California Air Resources Board provides us this update and proposal on scaling back the Porter Ranch community monitoring.
The ambient methane levels in the Porter Ranch community as well as the neighboring communities have decreased significantly since the leak was controlled on February 11, 2016. Community monitoring data indicates that the leak control efforts have been effective in returning the community methane levels to typical conditions expected for the region for the past 4 months. In general concern in the community has moved from ambient levels of methane to indoor air quality. This is also evident with a much reduced number of visits to our webpages where the ambient data is displayed. For that reason and to meet other obligations ARB is proposing to discontinue ambient methane monitoring at the five sites where we currently have monitors (Sites 1, 2, 5, 7, 8). Of the two benzene monitors, currently at sites 5 and 7, one will be placed at one of the continued SCAQMD sites. It is envisioned that the ARB sites will be closed down over the next couple of weeks.
The local agencies, specifically the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and Southern California Gas (SCG) will continue to sample in the Porter Ranch community. The South Coast Air Quality Management Air District will continue their three real time ambient measurement sites (Sites 3,4,6) and along with SCG will continue to collect samples for subsequent laboratory analysis at five locations in the community every three days. Also, as mentioned earlier, the Air District will add one benzene monitor to one of their stations. It has been a long journey since this leak occurred back in October. Thankfully the outdoor air quality has since returned to normal, and it is appropriate for us to remove our instruments and let the homeowners who have kindly hosted these monitors have their homes back. Should the community have questions please contact jorn.herner [at] arb.ca.gov (Jorn Herner) at the California Air Resources Board. Office: (916)324-9299
SIGN UP Receive our emails and phone calls with Constant Contact.
