Protesters Overwhelm Meeting On Future Of Aliso Canyon

The Associated Press: Residents Demand Aliso Canyon Be Closed Permanently
With more than 100 deep underground wells, Aliso Canyon is the largest natural gas storage site in the West and is considered crucial to the Los Angeles area for home heating and to power gas-fired electricity plants during energy spikes. However, the Southern California Gas Co. facility has been crippled more than a year since a blowout discovered in October 2015 released tons of methane into the air for four months, drove 8,000 families from their homes in and around the Porter Ranch neighborhood and led to mass complaints of health issues ranging from headaches to cancer. (2/2)

KPBS: Raucous Crowd Opposes Reopening Aliso Canyon Gas Field
A fed-up crowd of San Fernando Valley residents commandeered the first of two meetings on the reopening of the Aliso Canyon underground gas storage field Wednesday night, rising to their feet, roaring, “Shut it down!” The crowd of about 350, packed to standing room, overwhelmed a mediator hired to shepherd the meeting. They demanded more time to describe health problems, they said, still plague them a year after a blown gas well in hills above their home was finally brought under control. (Lobet, 2/2)

In other news —

San Jose Mercury News: After December Shell Refinery Incident, Watchdog Group Calls For Better Reporting
A December “flaring” incident that resulted in the release of almost 4,800 pounds of toxic sulphur dioxide into the air around the Shell Martinez Refinery was likely triggered by human error, according to a report submitted to the Contra Costa Health Services’ Environmental Health division. Meanwhile, an environmental attorney said refineries need to be more open about giving details about such releases, even if they are adhering to the law with reports to regulatory agencies 30 or 60 days after an incident. (Richards, 2/2)