The Los Angeles City Council concluded with a 13-0 vote on Wednesday, banning new oil wells in an attempt to eliminate all currently existing ones within a 20-year span. The final vote was needed to pass the citywide ban.
This comes as no surprise for many community residents and environmentalists- in fact, this was a long-time coming, as this push had already been in the works for over a decade.
Multiple demonstrators gathered outside of City Hall, rallying before the council made their final vote. Some held signs that read “Clean air & health over big oil wealth,” and “Together we can stop the climate emergency.”
L.A. first began the move to phase out oil drilling back in 2022. “Warren Resources,” an oil company, was quick to overturn the motion by suing the city. They made the argument that only the state held enough power to enact a policy this huge.
However, last year there was a state law that passed granting cities the right to ban oil drilling, causing the City Council to take up the case again.
Council members Katy Yaroslavsky, Heather Hutt and Adrin Nazarian spoke in favor of the ban at the rally the morning of the final verdict.
“Seven hundred fifty-nine of these active wells sit just steps from homes, churches, parks, hospitals and other places that our residents visit and congregate on a daily basis,” Nazarian stated.
Resident of Redeemer Community Partnership in South Los Angeles, Richard Park brought to light that he and his family, along with several of his neighbors who live near the oil drilling sites, have faced major health consequences, including miscarriages.
“No one should have to pay for their ZIP code with their health. It’s past time for the city to end new drilling and put every well on a path to closure, so every neighborhood can share in a healthier, safer future,” stated Nazarian.
Living near these sites has forced residents to endure odor-neutralizing chemicals that get repeatedly sprayed into the air, putting their lives at risk.
Multiple oil companies have come forward publicly to say they are fighting against the ban. They claim that the order constitutes a taking of private property without compensation and is a clear violation of their rights.
The “California Independent Petroleum Association” are also planning on challenging the ordinance on the ground of illegally taking their property.
Meanwhile, many city residents stand with the council vote and hope the city follows through with the action on removing the wells. This would include revoking conditional use permits for oil drilling sites and using the L.A. Fire Department to support them.
Councilmember Yaroslavsky advocated for these same measures.
“I’m grateful to Mayor Bass, the STAND-LA coalition, and our dedicated City staff for helping us get here. Now we need to finish the job by making sure these wells are properly plugged, these sites are cleaned up, and the companies responsible are held accountable,” stated Yaroslavsky.
The ban applies to approximately 600 active wells and 1,200 idle wells across the city. All of the existing wells are now considered “nonconforming land uses,” which prevents redrilling, deepening, or expanding their operations.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass signed the ordinance Thursday afternoon.
“For too long, communities throughout Los Angeles have lived with the impacts of oil and gas drilling in their neighborhoods, leading to significant health conditions. We’re changing this,” said Bass. “Signing this ordinance is another important step toward phasing out oil and gas drilling in Los Angeles once and for all.”
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