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Congressman Sherman opposes CPUC decision to preserve gas inventory at Aliso Canyon storage facility

January 26, 2016

Calls on Governor Brown to enforce State of Emergency Proclamation

Sherman Oaks – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) wrote a letter today urging Governor Jerry Brown to enforce his Aliso Canyon Gas Leak State of Emergency Proclamation in light of testimony delivered yesterday by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) contrary to that Proclamation.

Yesterday, at a hearing of the Assembly Public Utilities Committee, CPUC Director Elizaveta Malashenko stated publicly that the CPUC has directed SoCalGas to hold an inventory of 15 billion cubic feet of working gas at the Aliso Canyon storage facility. As Congressman Sherman states in his letter, this falls short of Governor Brown’s order for SoCalGas to maximize daily withdrawals of natural gas.

“Maximizing daily withdrawal from the storage facility is the only way to reduce pressure and thereby reduce the daily amount of the leak. Failure to withdraw natural gas from Aliso Canyon as quickly as possible creates unnecessary threats to public health,” wrote Congressman Sherman.

What follows is the text of the letter:

January 22, 2016

The Honorable Jerry Brown

Governor of California

State Capitol, Suite 1173

Sacramento, California 95814

Dear Governor Brown,

I am writing to make you aware of an alarming decision announced yesterday by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that threatens to extend the serious threat to public health already caused by the natural gas leak at the Aliso Canyon storage facility. In testimony before the Assembly Public Utilities Committee, CPUC Director Elizaveta Malashenko reported the following:

Just earlier today, the CPUC notified SoCalGas that they are to withdraw working gas down to 15 billion cubic feet of working gas and then hold the inventory at that level until otherwise directed by the agencies.

This decision to hold 15 billion cubic feet of working gas plus another 80 billion cubic feet of cushion gas in the Aliso Canyon storage facility as the leak continues directly contradicts your order to the CPUC in your Proclamation of a State of Emergency. As noted in my letter from January 15, the most important element of your Proclamation is paragraph 3 which directs the CPUC to ensure that SoCalGas maximizes daily withdrawal.

Specifically, your Proclamation orders:

3. The California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission shall take all actions necessary to ensure that Southern California Gas Company maximizes daily withdrawals of natural gas from the Aliso Canyon Storage Facility for use or storage elsewhere.

The CPUC is endangering the residents of the San Fernando Valley by violating your order. I recommend you direct the CPUC to immediately comply with the instructions in your emergency order. Maximizing daily withdrawal from the storage facility is the only way to reduce pressure and thereby reduce the daily amount of the leak. Failure to withdraw natural gas from Aliso Canyon as quickly as possible creates unnecessary threats to public health.

If my office can be of any assistance, please feel free to reach out to me directly, or contact Lauren Wolman in my DC office or John Alford in my Sherman Oaks office. Thank you for your continued leadership and attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

BRAD SHERMAN

Member of Congress