Extension sought for oil field review

Concerned citizens want additional 60 days to digest ‘complex document’

 

By Brett Callwood

 

Culver City residents and politicians spoke in force at the city council meeting on Monday evening, to push for an extension to the public review period following the unveiling of the Inglewood Oil Field Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which is due to close on Nov. 14.

According to a community update information flyer, “The Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) has been part of the Culver City community since the 1920s. The 1,000-acre IOF straddles the City of Culver City and Baldwin Hills area of unincorporated L.A. County. About 78 of those acres are within City limits. The Specific Plan covers the City IOF, which is at the northern end of the oil field along the eastern side of Culver City, adjacent to the Blair Hills neighborhood and neighborhoods along the Jefferson Boulevard corridor4.”

Elsewhere, it reads, “If adopted, the Specific Plan would allow drilling of up to 30 new wells over a 15-year period and regulate the management (through required ongoing monitoring and reporting) of oil production operations until the city IOF is closed.”

Essentially, the request from those gathered is for an additional 60-day review period, with most suggesting that the document is to large and complex to thoroughly digest and understand in the given period.

Tom Camarella, who has stood for city council races in the past, said that it is vital that residents get involved, as what is decided here will affect Culver City for decades and generations, impacting the environment, property values, and the health of our children.

Daniel Lee, who is currently running for city council, said that residents attending the informational on Oct. 30 will in fact only have 14 days to make an informed comment. He pointed out that, based on the volume and density of the Environmental Impact Report, learned people need more to digest it, never mind residents who have no experience of such documents.

Aura Walker said that she believes the majority of the community doesn’t even know about the proposed changes to the oil field and how they will impact Culver City. She also pointed out that there is no mention of fire risk in the EIR.

The concerns about extending the period for public comment is that it will severely delay the work, and it will extend it into a period when there will be new council members coming in.

 

The Mayor and members of the City Council decided to hold off on a decision until after the informational, when it can be decided whether an extension is necessary.