Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Leak

Overview

On January 6, 2016, California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. issued a proclamation that declares the situation at Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility an emergency, and details ongoing efforts to stop the leak. The order directs further actions the State will take to protect public health and safety, outlines the steps California is taking to address this emergency, and highlights the coordinated effort across state, local and federal agencies to resolve the situation.

The State of California has regulatory authority over intrastate natural gas storage facilities in California, including the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility, and has established an incident command structure, including a physical post on-site at Aliso Canyon to better coordinate the local, state and federal information sharing. The state has also established a public webpage to provide real-time information regarding the state's response, as well as air quality monitoring information: http://www.caloes.ca.gov/ICESite/Pages/Aliso-Canyon.aspx.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is working closely with the State of California to provide technical assistance and support to state and local regulatory agencies, including the California Public Utility Commission, related to their response and oversight activities. PHMSA's pipeline safety and technical experts have been on-site at the incident command and participate in daily operational briefings with state regulators, the Southern California Gas Company, and other federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. PHMSA will continue to provide technical support to assist California and will provide additional details on this webpage as the response effort moves forward.

Advisory Bulletin

PHMSA Statement – Feb. 2, 2016

"Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an advisory bulletin in the Federal Register on the safe operations of underground storage facilities for natural gas. The advisory reminds pipeline operators of the need to consider, verify, and maintain the overall integrity of natural gas storage wells to ensure the safety of the public, operating personnel, and the environment. The advisory also reminds operators to review their operations to identify the potential of facility leaks and failures caused by corrosion, chemical damage, mechanical damage, or other material deficiencies; the location and operations of shut-off and isolation systems; and emergency plans as necessary."