Give Your Input on Baldwin Hills Oil Field

This month, the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning will begin the first periodic review of the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District, which regulates drilling and operations of the oil field.  As a property owner, resident, and/or community stakeholder, your input provides a very important role in this process.  The Department of Regional Planning has made a survey available to collect the community’s input.  Please click on the following link to read the introduction to the periodic review process, and to be taken to the survey:   http://planning.lacounty.gov/baldwinhills/csd.

Much has happened since the County,  the City of Culver City, community advocates and Plains Exploration & Production Company entered into a  settlement agreement in June 2011. An inventory of emissions around the perimeter of the Inglewood Oil Field is currently underway.   Also, the first phases of landscaping improvements, along La Brea and below Ladera Crest, are visible, and PXP is expected to begin construction on La Cienega Blvd early next year.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health  has completed a two-part community health assessment . The first part analyzed mortality and morbidity data for the population surrounding the oil field; the second part synthesized interviews with 1,000 residents regarding their health conditions and concerns. Also, a study looking at hydraulic fracking at the oil field has also been completed.

One conclusion, however, can be drawn from the entire settlement process: community involvement makes a difference. Together the community advanced a conversation the rest of the nation is only beginning to have.  Community involvement is key to promote environmental stewardship and accountability around the Inglewood Oil Field and throughout the Second District.

Lastly, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the information contained within the attachments to this e-mail, which include the upcoming Community Advisory Panel meeting notice and agenda for the meeting this Thursday, May 23rd  at 7pm at the Kenneth Hahn Recreation Center, as well as the periodic review process flowchart (as discussed during the April CAP meeting).  In addition to collecting input from the electronic survey above, the Department of Regional Planning will also be collecting public comments during the May 23rd CAP meeting.

This information is also provided on the Baldwin Hills CSD’s website at http://planning.lacounty.gov/baldwinhills

Please contact Rena Kambara via email at rkambara@planning.lacounty.gov should you have any questions.