Los Angeles County residents Friday can now find whether their communities are in proximity to hazardous sites such as oil and gas facilities, and industrial and waste sites.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Friday launched its first countywide interactive environmental mapping tool. More than 6,000 active or idle oil wells and 1,300 industrial facilities are located in the county, some located in and around residential and community areas.
These sites may cause environmental issues such as excess or loud noise, air pollution, odors or accidental releases, depending on the type of facility and surrounding land uses.
The Department of Public Health’s Office of Environmental Justice and Climate Health developed the mapping tool as a part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, health awareness, environmental justice and community engagement.
Users can access the map at admin.publichealth.lacounty.gov/oejch/, and search two primary categories: oil and gas facilities, and industrial and waste sites.
Under oil and gas facilities, it will provide the location and details of active, inactive and retire oil wells, as well as underground gas storage facilities and refineries and fuel terminals.
Under industrial and waste sites, it will provide the location and data of water reclamation plants, legacy pollution (Superfund) sites, active industrial sites, and solid waste sites such as landfills, dumps and recycling centers.
The mapping tool also details administrative and geographic boundaries, such as unincorporated areas, cities, Census tracts and supervisorial districts, green zones or sensitive-use boundaries, and public health teams service areas. These layers are intended to help users better understand how facilities relate to specific communities, according to county officials.
“Communities should be able to easily see clear information about what is in their neighborhoods,” DPH Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “This tool brings multiple sources of information together so people can better understand what may be affecting their health, make informed decision, and support community planning that benefits everyone in the county.”