“The lack of control over the air quality in our home makes me cry”
I asked people living near the Porter Ranch gas leak how their lives had changed. Have you been affected by an environmental disaster? We want to hear your story.
In October, people started smelling rotten eggs in the air north of Los Angeles. Some felt dizzy. Other people got sudden nosebleeds, or threw up.
They’d soon find out that the Aliso Canyon gas well had sprung a leak.
We’re used to processing environmental disasters via images, like the brown water bottles in Flint, or the animals caught in oil slicks from the 2010 BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill. But this gas leak was invisible, and although the methane and other chemicals seeping into the air aren’t toxic — people were getting sick from odorants that were added to warn in case of leakage, not the methane or other chemicals — a lot of residents were still scared and angry with Southern California Gas Company.
The effect on the environment was also invisible, but shocking.
Just before Christmas, I was assigned to find out how residents were coping. Porter Ranch, the neighborhood nearest the well, is located on the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley in a wealthy area with gated communities, a golf course and even some nearby horse ranches.
Residents told me they chose the area for the bucolic living, removed from the stress of the city. But that dreamy environment had been shattered. I heard stories of horses with bloody noses, families relocating while in escrow for a $2 million home, and a man whose wife was in bed at home recovering from cancer treatments, while he worried the air was poisoning her.
Today, Southern California Gas Company announced that it had contained the leak. For some, this is a relief. But others are still cautious.
As the community weighs its future, here are some of the stories that residents shared with me about how the leak changed their lives.
Note: some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
Kristen Ruhlin, recently moved to Northridge
How has the leak affected you?
I fear what it will do to their developing bodies, and how it will affect them in years time when I’m not even here to take care of them. As a parent you want to shelter and protect your baby forever, and the lack of control over the air quality in our home makes me cry that I can’t change that for my babies right now.
Why did you move to the area?
We just moved here from New York only a few days before the well blew. We wanted to find a home that had a yard, pool and space for our 2 growing boys. We wanted to experience nature and provide a home for our boys they couldn’t experience in NYC. Unfortunately, the week we moved here the well blew and now the air quality is worse than living in Union Square. We spent over 20K to relocate here and had to buy cars, change health care, etc. so we can’t afford to dump money right away into another huge move. So we’re stuck now.
Patrick Perez, Porter Ranch resident
How has the gas leak affected you?
Our family is divided. My wife thinks that her health and my kids’ health has been adversely affected. I spend time away at work and I have not been feeling anything. My wife has had bloody spotting from her nose and muscle spasms. Our kids initially hid from us that they had experienced dizziness because they thought we would blame the iPad. My daughter has had headaches. The kids have had coughs also.
I’m still more skeptical. Is it that or is it seasonal? The science says there is only trace amounts of any toxins. But even trace amounts are too much.
Amy Masliah, resident of nearby Chatsworth
How has the gas leak affected you?
I do believe that the leak has been going on a lot longer then Oct 2015. We have been smelling gas for a very long time. On a windy day my home smells like rotten eggs all day long.
How do you feel after hearing the news that the leak will be plugged?
I would feel so much better if there were infrared cameras monitoring the leak. I am stressed to my limits.
Hope Tropper, Porter Ranch resident
How do you feel after hearing the news that the leak will be plugged?
I still don’t believe it. Even if it’s sealed, the air is still full of methane gas. I don’t trust them. The Sunday before last was the first day in 10 weeks I actually felt like a normal person…I would love to move back to my beautiful home. I miss my garden, and the beautiful wildlife that comes along with it.
Walter Arwood, Porter Ranch resident
How has the gas leak affected you?
My husband has had severe headaches, nausea, a rash and upwards of 50 nose bleeds since this all began. Our 12-year-old has had nausea and severe headaches, especially in school…She is a straight A student and this has posed a serious threat to her and her learning.
Gary Rubin, resident for more than 15 years
How has the gas leak impacted you?
I have had headaches, a runny nose, a cough, blurry vision, and diarrhea. I had smelled gas one day when I was in the garage and went out and bought a gas detector at Walmart before I was even aware there was a gas leak. We have two dogs and three grandchildren…My wife and I are both in our mid to late sixties, and have health concerns for us and our small pets.
How do you feel about the gas leak being contained?
If this in fact is the beginning of a permanent solution to the months of health concerns, inconveniences etc., then I welcome the news and the ability to return to a normal life.
However, after spending months not feeling well and frustrated with the gas company’s inflexibility to deal with the needs of the individuals in the neighborhood I have developed a trust issue. Nothing can make decades old wells new and completely safe. It is a disaster waiting to happen again.
These are just a few of countless stories — and I’d like to hear yours.
Are you living in or near Porter Ranch? What’s been your experience? Have you been affected by another environmental issue in your community?
Tell your story below.
