Stakeholders Speak Out About Oil Drilling in Baldwin Hills Area (Part 2)

Speakers: Sandra Hamlat, Damon Nagami, Eddie Jones, Dr. Clyde Williams, Sally Hampton, Gwendolyn Flynn, Dr. Khin Khin Gyi, Kaypers Jackson

The Board of Supervisors today heard requests from residents of Baldwin Hills and nearby communities to consider modifications and enhancements to the existing Baldwin Hills Community Standards District ("CSD") ordinance, which oversees oil drilling in Baldwin Hills.

In October 2008, the County of Los Angeles amended the County zoning code, approving the Baldwin Hills existing CSD regulating oil drilling operations at the Baldwin Hills oil field.
Area residents showed up to support Supervisor Ridley-Thomas motion to study
the possibility of amending the CSD. One-by-one, activists, residents and litigants from the Culver City, Windsor Hills, Blair Hills, Ladera Heights, View Park and Baldwin Vista areas testified that the CSD was not sufficiently vetted by the community.

Since its adoption, many stakeholders have raised concerns about a number of issues, including oil drilling as it relates to aesthetics, the intensity of drilling, health impacts, and the safety and welfare of the surrounding community.

"There is no excuse for the shabby appearance of this operation -- with exposed piping, electric wires strung here, there and everywhere, and the wholesale trashing of the scenic hills. All this in the middle of a long-standing residential and commercial community. We want it maintained consistent with best practices for oil fields anywhere in the United States," Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said.

The City of Culver City Council added support for the Supervisors request, adopting a resolution at its last meeting in support of his motion, as did State Senator Curren Price, who offered a letter of support.
In addition to informal complaints, the concerns have also been raised in four pending lawsuits which challenge the approval of the CSD and its related environmental impact report.

The Board unanimously approved Supervisor Ridley-Thomas request to direct the Acting Director of the Dept. of Regional Planning to initiate a study to consider recommendations regarding possible amendments or modifications to the existing CSD for Board consideration.

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