Nearly eight years after the disastrous Aliso Canyon gas leak sprung up in the hills above Porter Ranch, sending thousands of families fleeing, a team of UCLA researchers has announced details of a planned study into the effects of the leak on the health of residents near the underground natural gas storage facility owned by SoCalGas.
A team of about 50 researchers will work on the study, examining health impacts on pregnant women, children and adults during and after the disastrous 2015 gas leak.
Michael Jerrett, professor at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA, and a principal investigator in the study, said on Sept. 12 that his team will measure “thousands of pollutants in people’s blood and blood of babies at birth, to look for unexpected differences in the blood of people in the community compared to those outside the affected area.”
The 2015 blowout became known as the largest gas leak in U.S. history, releasing more than 110,000 metric tons of methane and other chemicals into the air and forcing thousands of households to relocate. For about four months, SoCalGas, which owns Aliso Canyon, tried to cap their leak as it covered nearby schools, cars and playgrounds with oily spots.
The health study arose from a $119.5 million settlement that state and local officials secured in 2018 with SoCalGas which set aside $25 million for a health study. On Tuesday, Sept. 12, eight experts joined an online meeting with 30 members of the public hosted by L.A. County Department of Public Health to discuss the upcoming study.
During the initial phase of the probe, scientists said they would begin analyzing existing surveys and environmental data, collecting new environmental data, engaging the community, and assessing birth outcomes.
During the next phase, they will recruit residents, conduct clinical exams and begin surveys of residents’ health and well-being. During the final phase, which begins in…
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