[Editor’s Note: City Atty. Carol Schwab issued the following report when City Hall filed one of four lawsuits, so far, against the County over the way the County recently handled approval for an oil drilling company to expand its operations. Last Monday, the newspaper carried the lawsuit filed by attorney Ken Kutcher of Culver Crest (Keyword: Kutcher). The other three are below.]
Culver City has filed a lawsuit against the County of Los Angeles as a result of the County’s approval of plans to significantly increase oil drilling in the Baldwin Hills.
The County’s adoption of the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District allows the oil company Plains, Exploration & Production, Inc., PXP, to drill hundreds of new wells in the Inglewood oil field over the next 20 years.
Thousands of Culver City residents live in neighborhoods bordering the oil field.
“Although the city realizes that drilling operations are likely to continue,” said Mayor Scott Malsin, “we feel it is imperative that they be conducted in a manner that protects the health, safety and welfare of our citizens and our environment. While we appreciate the County’s efforts to regulate oil operations more tightly than in the past, we believe there has been a failure to assess and mitigate the associated environmental impacts.
The suit was brought under the California Environmental Quality Act. It cites shortcomings in the County’s Environmental Impact Report, including a failure to adequately analyze and mitigate the impacts of PXP’s operations on air and water quality, soil stability, noise levels and public health.
The suit cites a number of recent incidents affecting Culver City, including oil spills and noxious gasses that drove residents from their homes.
Plans to expand oil drilling operations were the subject of widespread opposition from residents of Culver City and neighboring communities during the County’s review of the EIR and the Community Standards District.
While the city regrets that it has had to resort to litigation, it remains optimistic it will be able to work with the community and the County to ensure that residents will live in a safe, healthy environment.
[img]228|left|CC-Petition for Writ of Mandate||no_popup[/img]
[img]229|left|Concerned Citizens BaldwinHills Petition||no_popup[/img]
[img]230|left|Petition for Writ of Mandamus||no_popup[/img]
