[Editor’s Note: On Wednesday evening at 7 at the Vets Auditorium, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas will update residents concerned about ongoing oil drilling in the Inglewood Oil Field.]
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The end is in sight:
Neighborhood concerns regarding the Inglewood Oil Field in Baldwin Hills soon will be addressed. Robust settlement discussions — stalled to a stalemate only months ago — once again are underway to resolve pending lawsuits brought by community groups against the oil field operator and the County of Los Angeles. If a settlement cannot be reached, the matter will be heard in court on March 29.
In either case, a resolution is at hand.
Tomorrow at 7 p.m., I will hold a candid conversation with residents in the Garden Room of the Veterans Memorial Building in Culver City.
Before we gather, I would like to lay the groundwork for our discussion. I’m pleased to report that all the petitioners and the oil field operator have committed to attempt to negotiate a comprehensive settlement of all open issues. Even where there is not yet agreement, there is earnest engagement and good faith. Meetings are taking place on an almost daily basis. We believe a draft settlement agreement is nearing completion.
Making Concessions
While I cannot reveal all the details of the settlement until it is complete, I am committed to providing constituents with material concessions from the oil field operator in several areas, including the number of existing and new wells, the number of active drill rigs, clean-up of the site, air quality, sound, health and environmental justice issues and other matters.
Oil field operations have existed in the Baldwin Hills for more than 80 years, but in the past five years, community concerns have surged with regard to oil production and operations in the urban context. I believe that a negotiated settlement, with a materially strengthened set of regulatory requirements, will considerably enhance public safety and address quality of life concerns that have been legitimately voiced by neighbors, environmentalists and local municipalities. It has been a long time coming. I know the patience of those living near the oil field at times has been strained. But each party at the negotiating table believes it is working on behalf of the broader community to gain the best possible outcome.
The Four Sets of Plaintiffs
In late 2008, in the last days of her term, my predecessor on the County Board of Supervisors put forward a Community Standards District (CSD) that sought to regulate the number of wells and the methods of operation in the Inglewood Oil Field that, until that time, had largely gone unregulated. The oil field operator, Plains Exploration and Production Co. (PXP), of Houston, agreed with the provisions of the CSD and persuaded the County to make additional concessions before last-minute approval of the regulatory program.
Four groups filed lawsuits challenging the environmental adequacy of the CSD. These groups included the city of Culver City, Citizens Coalition for a Safe Community, Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles and the Community Health Councils. Although I firmly believe a settlement would yield better results for the community, it is important to explore all options for addressing concerns and to move on several fronts. That being the case, in December 2010, I told the Director of the Dept. of Regional Planning it was time to consider a formal review of the CSD.
Several times, under the auspices of our office, the plaintiffs have met with County legal counsel and with PXP to discuss how oil field regulations might be improved to better address our community concerns. Our office has supported community contentions that fundamental quality of life considerations such as safety, unsightliness, noise, and health effects be thoroughly addressed.
Above all, our office is committed to ensuring that these matters be settled soon, preferably by negotiations or if not, then in court. I look forward to meeting with the community tomorrow evening as we unite to bring this matter to its long-awaited conclusion.
