Sharon Mousavi-Dormani is among those who have moved away temporarily, with her dog and two children, after choking on the fumes for more than a month and suffering from headaches, sore throats and nosebleeds. For a state beset by drought, wildfires, giant sinkholes and other natural calamities, the gas leak has emerged as the number one environmental concern of Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, an aggressive environmentalist who is particularly concerned about combating climate change. In declaring the state of emergency, Mr. Brown said that he acted in response to the “prolonged and continuing” nature of the leak, which was detected Oct. 23. The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a no-fly-zone over Porter Ranch for safety reasons. After several failed efforts at stopping the leak, the utility company has begun drilling relief wells that would allow it to seal off the gas by pumping cement underground. “The neighborhood was a safe place to have your kids grow up,” said Amber Visage, 27, explaining why she moved to Porter Ranch with her daughter, now 6. The California Air Resources Board, in coordination with other agencies, shall expand its real-time monitoring of emissions in the community and continue providing frequent, publicly accessible updates on local air quality. The California Public Utilities Commission shall ensure that Southern California Gas Company cover costs related to the natural gas leak and its response, while protecting ratepayers. In his emergency declaration, Mr. Brown said he was ordering an investigation into the cause of the leak, as well as stepping up regulations for all gas storage facilities in the state.
– California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Wednesday over the crazy natural gas leak that's been spewing massive amounts of methane over a Los Angeles neighborhood since October and may not be fixed for months. Some related coverage: Brown's declaration seeks to speed up the repair and improve backup plans, and requires that well operator Southern California Gas cover projects to reduce emissions elsewhere in the state. Details at the Sacramento Bee. So what happened? Engineers think a 7-inch pipe burst 500 feet below ground, and the Los Angeles Times reports that the leaking well lacked a working safety valve. The story has a graphic explaining what's happening below ground to try to plug the leak. More than 2,000 households in the Porter Ranch neighborhood have relocated to hotels, motels, and relatives' homes, and residents are worried about illnesses and property values, reports the Wall Street Journal. "You can't see it, so there's denial," says a woman whose 2-year-old daughter was hospitalized for respiratory issues. People are getting sick (headaches, dizziness, nosebleed, nausea) not from the gas itself but from chemicals added to it to help detect leaks, reports the New York Times. Health officials say the long-term effects are small. Gizmodo calls this the biggest natural gas leak on record and has one question for Brown: "What took so long?" This "could seriously set back the Obama administration’s high profile efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute directly to global warming," explains the Fiscal Times.