LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced continued progress on its commitment to help residents who relocated return to their normal lives as seamlessly as possible. To date, more than 3,800 relocated residents have returned home and SoCalGas continues its work to make the transition home as smooth as possible for residents who remain in temporary housing.
"When the leaking well at our Aliso Canyon storage facility was sealed in February we committed to take actions to help relocated residents return home safely, expand resources available to the community, investigate and understand what caused the leak, ensure the integrity of all wells, and address greenhouse gas emissions," said Gillian Wright, SoCalGas vice president for customer services. "SoCalGas has a long history of supporting the communities we serve during challenging times and we remain focused on assisting residents who remain in temporary housing, those who have returned home, and the majority of people who stayed in their neighborhoods."
SoCalGas is Promptly Reviewing and Processing Reimbursement Requests
Today, SoCalGas released more than 4,100 approved reimbursement checks, totaling $5.8 million to temporarily relocated residents. To date, the company has reviewed and processed more than 29,000 reimbursements totaling more than $57 million. Nearly 300 SoCalGas reimbursement processors and community liaisons are working around-the-clock to respond to inquiries from residents and to process reimbursement requests.
SoCalGas Continues to Provide Information on Community Air Quality
Earlier this week, SoCalGas launched a new online resource, "Understanding Indoor Air Quality in Your Home," for residents of Porter Ranch and the surrounding communities who have questions about indoor air quality. This resource provides links to independent information from the Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board and the American Lung Association about general indoor air quality, common household products that may affect indoor air quality, and strategies to improve the air quality of homes, which includes the importance of keeping homes ventilated.
SoCalGas has also delivered or installed more than 38,000 air filtration systems in more than 10,500 homes, 60 schools and 160 businesses in neighborhoods near its Aliso Canyon storage facility since January 11, 2016. The final deliveries were made this week, fulfilling every approved request SoCalGas received for in home air filtration systems.
Since October 30, 2015, regulatory air quality and health agencies have independently analyzed more than 5,200 outdoor air samples in the Porter Ranch area. These experts consistently report that the data indicate the air quality in the community is at typical, pre-leak levels, similar to elsewhere in the Los Angeles basin.
Throughout the incident, air samples for benzene and other compounds were found to be at, or near levels seen in the rest of the county, and below levels of concern. Furthermore, third party indoor air screening of more than 70 homes showed typical levels of methane, and did not detect mercaptans or other sulfur compounds associated with natural gas at any levels.
The once-leaking well has been confirmed sealed since February 18, 2016. The California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District continue to provide near-real time methane monitoring that is available here.
Community Cleaning Continues
SoCalGas has completed assessments on more than 600 homes reporting the presence of brown spots believed to be related to the once-leaking well. Cleaning has been completed at more than 180 houses and over 100 additional homes have been scheduled. As homes continue to be assessed, additional cleanings will be scheduled. Last month, SoCalGas completed cleaning private schools, and community playgrounds near the facility. Sampling results reviewed by both a toxicologist and a medical expert suggest that the brown spots do not pose a health risk. To date, no brown spots associated with the Aliso Canyon storage facility have been identified indoors.
Helping residents who relocated return to their normal lives as seamlessly as possible is one of five commitments SoCalGas made to emphasize the company's dedication to restoring trust and continuing support for the community.
About Southern California Gas Co: Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 145 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21.6 million consumers connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.