January 17, 2017: Council to vote on 4th Ave Drill Site

City Council Motion for 4th Ave. drill site Nuisance Abatement Hearing:

Council President Herb Wesson will make a motion (attached) before Council directing LA City Planning to initiate a Nuisance Abatement Hearing regarding the 4th Ave. Drill Site.

The motion is in response to concerns raised by our community over the past year and through our Neighborhood Council (UNNC) about the operations and violations at the site as well as Planning’s unwillingness to uphold City code on oil and gas production.

The motion to be presented by President Wesson to City Council is also based in part on the recently appointed City Petroleum Administrator’s January 6, 2017, attached report indicating that FMOG:

• Violated City ordinances by converting some wells from injection to production wells without City approval (a permit), AND

• The site is “non-operational”; meaning it has not been in operation for a continuous period of one year or more and has ceased to produce gas or oil.

• A determination of “non-operational” and a successful Nuisance Abatement hearing could lead to a permanent end to the drilling operations at the site. 

NEXT STEPS: 

• Send an email https://www.lacity.org/your-government/elected-officials/city-council/council-directory NOW to all of the City Council members asking them to support Council President Wesson’s motion about the 4thAvenue drill site.

• If the City Council motion passes on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, Planning will be directed to initiate “Nuisance Revocation proceedings” regarding the site.  The hearing, likely to occur in the next few months, will enable our community to “voice concerns regarding the ongoing operations at the site” as well as for the City to consider imposing further conditions on the oil company’s use of the site.

PLANNING MUST ACT:  Our community, including UNNC, provided information to City Planning about the problems outlined by the Petroleum Administrator and Planning has not acted.  Both UNNC and Council President Wesson requested that Planning initiate a Nuisance Abatement process almost one year ago.  Planning never responded.  Non-responsive City agencies are not in the best interest of our community, CD10, UNNC, as well as oil companies. 

THANK YOU to:

• Everyone who has joined in the call to protect the health and welfare of our community, including,

      Our UNNC which for a number of years has maintained a critical focus on the issues,

      Council President Herb Wesson and his diligent staff have stood with our community in this effort. 

The Petroleum Administrator for his professionalism and substantive report.  

This is a demonstration of the value of grass-roots community engagement that seeks viable solutions to problems, the importance of a responsive Council representative, and having a full time Petroleum Administrator (a position that was previously vacant for decades).