Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study

Monthly Newsletter

Dear Community Member,

We hope this message finds you well. Please continue reading this month’s newsletter for updates on the progress of the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study (ACDHRS).

Project Updates

Health Study Goals and Priorities

The ACDHRS project team would like to thank you for submitting your comments on the draft Health Study Goals and Priorities document. At this time, the Aliso Canyon project team compiled all comments that were submitted and have provided them to the Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC) for review. The feedback will inform the SOC members as they finalize the main components of the Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP will be released in the upcoming months. Once a contract has been awarded, research implementation will begin.

Southern California Gas Company Regulators

Regulatory authority over SoCalGas Aliso Canyon facility is held by more than 20 local, state and federal agencies. Public Health exercises no regulatory authority over this facility. Please visit the Who regulates SoCalGas page to learn more.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is principally responsible for administering the Health Study related to the 2015-16 blowout at the Southern California Gas Company’s (SoCalGas) Aliso Canyon facility. This Health Study will examine the long-term health effects of this disaster on the surrounding communities.

Stay Involved

FAQ Page

Many questions about the blowout, the Health Study, and related issues have been raised by the community. For answers to some of these important questions that have been raised by Neighborhood Councils, residents, and CAG members, please visit the Aliso Canyon Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page linked here. The FAQ page was recently updated with additional FAQs on environmental data, community air monitoring fund, complete blood count analysis, cancer surveillance analysis, allocation of Health Study funds, the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) 2019 spot fire investigation, and existing environmental data.

Resources

If you are interested in learning more about the ACDHRS, there are many resources available on the ACDHRS Resources webpage including information on the purpose of the health study and the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and entities involved.

In addition, a summary of existing data and information related to the Aliso Canyon blowout and gas storage facility is now available. The summary includes a list of Technical summary reports of data published to date from regulatory and response agencies related to the SS-25 well failure and assessments done after it, including the independent root cause analysis of the SS-25 well failure. The summary also lists air sampling data, other environmental data (e.g., soil and water samples), and data sources related to health outcomes collected by regulatory agencies and other entities, among other pertinent information. The summary of existing data and information will be updated as additional data and information becomes available and as needed.

Community Feedback Form

If you have any feedback, concerns, or ideas that you would like to share with the ACDHRS project team, please provide your comments on our ACDHRS Feedback Form.

Community Advisory Group

The next CAG meeting is scheduled for June 28, 2021 from 6 to 8 p.m. Please visit Public Health’s CAG page to view upcoming meetings, access meeting agendas, summaries, and other materials. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and provide input during the public comment periods.

Email Us

If you have any questions, or would like to get in touch, please email us at alisostudy@ph.lacounty.gov.