City Hall is claiming victory in yesterday’s ruling by a Superior Court judge who denied an oil drilling company’s request to block a year-long moratorium on new drilling within the confines of Culver City.
City officials said the motivation for the ruling is because the court believes there is a “substantial likelihood” Culver City will prevail in future litegation in this case.
The moratorium, unanimously agreed upon by the City Council, is scheduled to remain in effect until next August or earlier, pending approval of a revised — and tighter — city ordinance governing drilling.
The drilling company asserted that it gained a measure of satisfaction.
Disappointed but not defeated, only delayed, Plains Exploration & Production Co. attorney Jeffrey Dintzer said two other verdicts favorable to the company were not insignificant.
At the request of PXP, Judge James Chalfant agreed to accelerate a trial date for the lawsuit the company recently filed in an attempt to derail the moratorium.
Trial is set for Tuesday, March 23, in Dept. 85 of Superior Court, 111 N. Hill St., downtown Los Angeles, five months before the moratorium is due to expire. In a related ruling, Judge Chalfant denied a Culver City request to dismiss PXP’s lawsuit, which was filed two months ago.
Yesterday’s actions are separate from PXP’s ongoing bitter battle with residents and some politicians regarding their years of drilling in the 2-mile stretch of land south of Culver City known variously as the Inglewood Oil Field or the Baldwin Hills Oil Field.
At the behest of County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, dense and far-ranging regulations swiftly approved last year by the County Board of Supervisor, before he took office, presently are being revisited and scrutinized. The inspection is open-ended, without a deadline.
