Sherman Marks Ten Years Since the October 23rd Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout

Sherman Oaks, CA – Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) issued the following statement to mark ten years since the Southern California Gas Company’s SS-25 well ruptured at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility on October 23rd, 2015, triggering the largest release of methane and toxic compounds in U.S. history:

“A full decade has passed since the Aliso Canyon gas blowout — yet families in our community continue to bear the consequences of this preventable disaster. The ongoing health and environmental impacts underscore why this dangerous facility must be permanently closed once and for all.

For years, residents of Porter Ranch and surrounding neighborhoods have lived with uncertainty about their health, their air, and their safety. I have worked tirelessly with local leaders and federal agencies to hold SoCalGas accountable, to secure environmental testing, and to ensure that the community’s voice is heard at every step.

We owe it to the families who were displaced, the children whose schools were closed, and everyone who suffered from this avoidable catastrophe to finally shut down Aliso Canyon and move toward a cleaner, safer energy future for Los Angeles and the nation.”

Background: Congressman Sherman’s home was as close as any residence to the Aliso Canyon blowout. For nearly four months, the northern Los Angeles community of Porter Ranch suffered from the largest methane leak ever recorded in the United States.

More than 7,000 families were forced to evacuate, two local schools were shut down for the remainder of the academic year, and countless residents reported persistent health issues.

Sherman has consistently called for the permanent closure of the Aliso Canyon facility, specifically urging the California Public Utilities Commission to close the Aliso Canyon facility and to reject any plan that would allow for increased storage at the site.

In 2016, Sherman met personally with then-President Barack Obama regarding the Aliso Canyon blowout and received a commitment that the federal government would improve safety regulations for natural gas storage facilities.

Just days after the leak was finally sealed, Congressman Sherman testified before the Congressional committee charged with oversight of natural gas storage facilities, and he urged the passage of legislation that would mandate stronger safety standards for these facilities.

Four months later, Congress unanimously passed the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act, which required the government to establish new federal safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities.

Congressman Sherman is calling on federal regulators to conduct a comprehensive safety inspection of the Aliso Canyon facility to review its compliance with the enhanced safety standards mandated by Congress.

Congressman Sherman repeatedly called for a comprehensive health study on the effects of the Aliso Canyon Gas Leak. UCLA is currently continuing the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study with funding through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. This study aims to assess both the short- and long-term health impacts of the disaster. 

Congressman Sherman continues to call for the permanent closure of the Aliso Canyon storage facility while supporting stronger federal oversight to prevent similar disasters from ever happening again.

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