Do You Smell Foul Odors?Call ‘1.800.Cut Smog’

However, often as I passed our Boneyard Dog Park, I got some malodorous whiffs — not canine, but more like gas. The first couple of times I dismissed these foul smells, thinking it was my imagination from being overly concerned about the effects on our health and safety from the hundreds of new wells PXP is planning to drill in our hills.

As I drove by on Thursday, there was that smell again. I drove up and down a couple times to be sure. Then I called 1-800-CUT-SMOG to report that there was a gas-like odor here. Within an hour, an inspector called me. She was there to check out my complaint.

I had gone home, but the inspector drove to the area I indicated and confirmed the smell. I was glad to have this reality check. She learned from others at the Dog Park that they, too, smell foul odors now and then. I later learned that PXP is drilling an oil well near there.

How can we stop this possible toxicity from affecting us? Call 1-800-CUT-SMOG.

The Air Quality Management District, www.AQMD.gov website states that this 24-hour hotline is set up so inspectors can come, whether night or day, to verify complaints, determine cause and get the problem fixed. If a “public nuisance” is suspected, they will begin an immediate investigation. Given the immediacy of response to my call, PXP's gas and oil production in the Baldwin Hills must fall into the nuisance category.

AQMD Rule 402 defines nuisance as “discharge from any source whatsoever, such quantities of air contaminants or other material which cause injury, detriment, nuisance, or annoyance to any considerable number of persons or to the public, or which endanger the comfort, repose, health or safety of any such persons or the public, or which cause, or have a natural tendency to cause, injury or damage to business or property.”

Do these odors endanger your comfort?

Are they threats to our health or safety?

How can we get rid of this nuisance?

I learned that if enough people call to complain when they smell bad odors, AQMD will have PXP put up air quality monitors in the affected areas. This way we will know what we are breathing and how to protect ourselves and those in our care.

If these fugitive emissions from the drilling fields are bothering you, whether it be late at night or early morn, call 1-800-CUT-SMOG. An inspector will come out immediately. You can even call anonymously. If you choose to give contact information, it remains confidential. You may request a written report regarding cause of problem and remedies.

So rather than bemoan the odors, call and complain.

Hold the smog-makers responsible to clean up their odoriferous messes, whether they come from smoking vehicles, oil fields or any other disturber of our air quality.

By each of us doing our share for cleaner air, we will keep making Culver City the place where everyone wants to be,