Ten years ago on Thursday, the Aliso Canyon blowout became the worst natural gas disaster in U.S. history.
Porter Ranch Matt Pakucko, who also heads Save Porter Ranch, told KNX News’ Karen Adams that Aliso Canyon continues to be a problem after it spewed 120,000 tons of methane and toxic chemicals into the air.
“People are always smelling stuff around here,” he said. “People have pretty much, I think, given up on the agencies that are supposed to watchdog this place.”
Pakucko said the air quality in his neighborhood still isn’t good enough to this day.
“We have air monitors and SoCal Gas has some fake air monitors, but this stuff, it's chronic,” he said. “It's always coming down that hill and low levels, and that affects people.”
People like Kyoko Hibino attributes her cancer diagnosis to the blowout.
“Because I cannot control anything from this facility or anything in the environment, you know, we have to mitigate our own lifestyle to really survive living in here,” she said.
While Pakucko, Hibino, and other residents said moving wasn't or isn't an option, many did leave the area over the last decade
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The California Public Utilities Commission recently voted to keep Aliso Canyon open and to increase its storage capacity, citing the state's energy needs.
Pakucko said he thinks Aliso Canyon will blow up again before it shuts down for good
“ That company has a history of negligence in all its facilities,” he said. “This is nothing new. That place leaked for decades before this blowout. So I think what's going to happen first is they're going to eff up again, and that'll shut it down. Unfortunately, I don't know what the damage is going to be to people from that one.”
Pakucko and others said that while they did accept SoCal Gas's settlement, they’re still not satisfied with it. Others are still waiting for their day in court.
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