Health Officials: Gas Company’s ‘Deficient’ Porter Ranch Cleanup Re-Victimizes Residents
Public health officials noted they have enough evidence to prove that a thorough cleanup by the Southern California Gas Co. of up to 10,000 homes is warranted.
LA Daily News:
SoCalGas Slammed For Poor Cleanup Of Porter Ranch Homes
Frustrated by what they call a deficient cleanup effort, Los Angeles County health officials said Wednesday they’ll go to court, if necessary, to make the Southern California Gas Co. comply with a directive to remove contaminants from thousands of Porter Ranch homes affected by last year’s ruptured natural gas well. The call for a thorough and complete cleanup comes a day after SoCalGas filed legal papers asking that a public health directive requiring them to remove dust and oily mist from up to 35,000 homes be nullified. The company said it has cleaned more than 1,700 residences. (Abram, 7/13)
In other public health news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
STD Rates Continue Climb In County
Rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis rose in San Diego County in 2015, according to a report recently released by the Health and Human Services department, continuing a trend that goes at least as far back as the report’s oldest data in 1996. The syphilis rate increased to 15.2 cases per 100,000 people from 11.6 cases, the steepest increase of the three on a percentage basis. (Morrissey, 7/14)
LA Daily News:
Don’t Go Swimming At Pyramid Lake Due To Toxic Algae Bloom, Water Officials Say
State water officials are urging people to avoid any contact with the water at Pyramid Lake because of a toxic algae bloom that has developed on the Los Angeles County reservoir. In a statement issued Wednesday, the California Department of Water Resources advised the public to not wade, swim or water-ski at the lake and to keep dogs and children away from the water. Caution signs have also been posted at the lake, according to Ted Thomas, a spokesman for the department. (Baer, 7/13)