The lack of a quorum at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting forced a delay until Wednesday on a vote on whether to hire a full-time petroleum administrator to oversee all oil and gas production activity in the city.
Council President Herb Wesson’s motion calls for a “more proactive approach to ensure that oil and gas production in the city is conducted in the safest manner possible.” It would direct city officials to immediately hire a petroleum administrator on a full-time basis.
The job duties are currently parceled out among existing staff, according to City Administrative Officer spokeswoman Cielo Castro.
Residents in South Los Angeles and other areas have complained in recent years about urban oil fields, saying noxious fumes and frequent trips of oil or gas-hauling trucks place surrounding communities at risk.
The motion also comes after residents of Porter Ranch have been exposed beginning in October to a natural gas leak from a nearby storage facility just outside city limits.
—City News Service