Survivors of the Aliso Canyon gas blowout and advocates held a town hall on Sunday, Oct. 26 to mark the 10-year anniversary of the massive gas blowout that occurred on Oct. 23, 2015, the largest methane blowout in United States history.

At the town hall, residents and survivors heard from researchers working on a recent UCLA health study assessing the short- and long-term health impacts of the gas blowout and recently published a study finding that women who were pregnant at the time of the blowout had babies with low birth weights at rates almost 50% higher than normal.

“It’s shocking that this facility is still in existence, given the health, seismic, and fire risks it presents for the 1.8 million residents of the San Fernando Valley. The gas storage site exists only as a cash cow for SoCalGas executives to make millions in salary and bonuses and is not needed for energy reliability,” said Patty Glueck, a resident of the Aliso Canyon area.

Approximately 10,000 to 15,000 residents were temporarily evacuated from their homes after the 2015 gas blowout and tens of thousands more were affected by symptoms including headaches, nausea and nosebleeds. the long-term effects of the event are still being studied.

“The past decade has been profoundly difficult for me and my community. Those of us who became involved as community activists did so not by choice or because we had nothing else going on in our lives, but because we believed our voices were needed. But, no one was willing to listen. These years have taught me painful lessons about trust and governance. I’ve witnessed all government agencies, leaders at every level, from Governor Gavin Newsom to our local city councilman John Lee, prioritize politics over people’s wellbeing,” said Helen Attai, a Portr Ranch area community member. “I’m being honest about where I am and that is angry, disappointed, sick and exhausted. My family and I developed new health issues during this time. A decade focused on advocating for our community’s health, something I deeply care about, is time I can never recover. It is 10 years that I will never get back. This 10-year anniversary brings overwhelming emotions and painful memories and a bad case of PTSD. The experience has taken a real toll. I cannot believe that this monstrous facility is still open so close to so many homes, schools, shopping centers, and medical offices.”

It took 112 days to plug the Aliso Canyon gas blowout, with the leak being controlled on Feb. 11, 2016, and the well officially sealed on Feb. 18, 2016.

“I’m living in a small studio apartment in Brooklyn, New York. I wasn’t able to make it to a forest or country side, but somehow the air is better in Brooklyn than Granada Hills. Almost anywhere is better than Granada Hills where after 10 years, toxins still leak and permeate the air and soil we breathe and live on. I want to go back to my house, I want to live in my home. But when I go home my symptoms return. Why? What’s in the air? What is actually going on? 10 years later and we still have no health study. The Health Department continues to fail us,” said Jane Arakawa Fowler, a former resident. “They told me I could swim in my pool because the ‘heavy metals’ sink to the bottom of the pool. Not only are they stupid but still they’re so reckless. There is still so much we don’t know. What I do know, is when I left my home my kidney and liver were close to failure. After months of living in New York they’ve regenerated so much my doctors ask me how I did it. But what are the long term effects? How is our water being treated? How long does the soil along with our bodies hold onto the trauma? 10 years later and we still don’t know. I wish this was a happier call to attention. But I’m living as an environmental refugee in our supposed great State of California.”

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for the Aliso Canyon gas blowout on Jan. 6, 2016. The proclamation was issued because the leak, which started on Oct. 23, 2015, was not being successfully controlled and posed an ongoing threat.

“Ten years after the Aliso Canyon blowout, I still live with the fear, mistrust and uncertainty it left behind. The largest gas storage facility in California continues to do well venting as required by maintenance activities, thus releasing carcinogenic emissions from 115 wells above our homes, schools and parks proof that SoCalGas puts its wealth ($60.54 billion) over our health,” said Deirdre Bolona, a resident of the area. “This disaster was the result of negligence and weak oversight. Aliso Canyon didn’t just poison our skies, it shattered our trust in those sworn to protect us. The San Fernando Valley neighborhoods deserve more than empty assurances; we deserve clean air, accountability, and the permanent closure of Aliso Canyon.”

Los Angeles County Public Health responded to the Aliso Canyon blowout by directing the gas company to stop the leak, offering temporary relocation to affected residents and implementing an extensive air monitoring plan.

The department also conducted a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response and tested household samples for over 250 chemicals.

Later, a comprehensive Health Study was launched, awarding millions to researchers at UCLA to conduct a long-term assessment of the health effects.

At the 10-year anniversary event resients feel the county has not done all it could to safeguard current residents.

“Ten years after the Aliso Canyon gas blowout, our community is still paying the price for government inaction, medical unpreparedness and corporate denial, said Kyoko Hibino, co-founder of Save Porter Ranch. “The Los Angeles County Health Department’s public presence gave false reassurance while offering no guidance or medical communication, leaving women, children and sensitive populations to fend for themselves in the aftermath of toxic exposure, as government officials allowed polluters to continue harming our community instead of protecting it.”

the 10th anniversary of the event has renewed calls for the facility to be closed. Residents have been calling for the closure of the Aliso Canyon facility since shortly after the massive 2015 gas leak.

“It has been 10 years since these community members’ lives changed forever because of this devastating gas blowout. In that time we’ve had two Governors, many CPUC commissioners and countless broken promises,” said Andrea Vega, Food & Water Watch Southern California Senior Organizer. “While Governor Newsom has certainly also been backsliding during this session, when it comes to shutting down the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility for the health and safety of the surrounding community, he has always failed to be the leader that we need. Under Governor Newsom’s watch Aliso Canyon has repeatedly been expanded, with no pathway to closure in sight.”

For more information visit www.facebook.com/SavePorterRanch/.

Survivors of the Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout that occured on Oct. 23, 2015 mark the 10th anniversary of the event at a Town Hall held Sunday, Oct. 26. All photos credit Patty Glueck.