In the wake of the news that the state Dept. of Conservation agency known as DOGGER has asked the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to extend the public comment period beyond today regarding renewed drilling in the Baldwin Hills oil field, state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Culver City) said this morning that he endorses this approach.
“I want to strongly reiterate my call for the extension because an issue this important requires a process that is consistent with state law, that is transparent and that maintains public confidence,” the senator said.
For the last two months, organized residents in Culver Crest and surrounding neighborhoods have been pleading, almost daily, with County officials to extend the 60-day public comment period on two gigantic documents that will govern oil drilling in Baldwin Hills for the next 20 years.
When Time Lags
By late August, it can be said that these are the Dogger days of summer.
As this afternoon’s comment deadline looms, it is unclear whether the extension request by the Dept. of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, DOGGER, will influence the Board of Supervisors.
DOGGER asserted that the state Attorney General’s office needs additional time to review certain legal questions.
Said Sen. Ridley-Thomas: “When a responsible agency such as the Dept. of Conservation has not received notification of any proper modifications to the environmental impact report or the Community Standards District, and it has not been afforded the opportunity to review them, additional time must be granted to allow an adequate and thorough evaluation of the changes and the entirety of the documents.
“A number of complex legal and environmental issues need to be answered before an informed decision on the project can be made.
“Given the proximity to a huge urban population and public concerns about the environmental impact of the oil field, it is extremely important that every precaution be taken to ensure that all decisions regarding this project are made with accurate and complete information.
“Moreover,” the senator continued, “residents who will be most impacted by additional oil development, deserve and should be afforded additional time to comment.
“It is on their behalf I initially requested the extension, and I will continue to call for it.”
