In the northwest corner of Los Angeles, gated communities and newly-built micro-mansions cluster through the mountains overlooking the San Fernando Valley. To the casual onlooker it would appear to be a typical day in the upscale neighborhood of Porter Ranch: Cars snake through the In-N-Out drive-thru, cyclists power past skateboarding teenagers down paved paths, and kids and parents can be found playing with recently unwrapped Christmas toys in the park.

But, just beyond this sleepy suburban locale, one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history is quietly wreaking havoc. A natural gas leak stemming from an underground storage facility owned by the Southern California Gas Company has unleashed close to 74,000 metric tons of greenhouses gasses into the atmosphere—equal to about 7 million gallons of gasoline burned—and officials are still unable to stop it.

Just to put that in perspective: The leak alone accounts for a quarter of California’s total emissions. In terms of impact on climate, it has been equated with driving an additional 7 million cars—every single day. In fact, the Environmental Defense Fund reports that methane erupting into the air is more dangerous for the climate than carbon dioxide with 84 percent “warming power” in the two decades after it is released.

Though officials first confirmed that there was a leak back in October, the actual location of the rupture has not yet been discovered. On Monday, Southern California Gas Co. representatives reported that they have roughly determined where the leak occurred, but that they likely will not be able to stop the emissions until March 2016.

While the invisible gasses will clearly have a huge impact on climate change—especially as world leaders race to curb emissions before the point of no return—Southern California Gas Co. claims the leak poses little risk to health.

Still, Los Angeles County has declared a state of emergency in the area and residents have reported an increase in nosebleeds, nausea, and headaches—common reactions to the so-called “odorants”added to the otherwise odorless gas to make it more detectable.

The Los Angeles Times reports that chemicals tertiary butyl mercaptan and tetrahydrothiophene give the methane its “rotten egg” smell and can cause adverse health effects.

Amy Masliah, who lives less than three miles from the leak, tells Upvoted that exposure to the fumes has aggravated her asthma and made it unbearable to continue working as a landscape artist.



“I have been getting sicker and sicker,” she says, describing how her breathing difficulties are now accompanied by a daily onslaught of both migraines and nosebleeds. “I love to spend time outdoors, time in my garden,” she adds. “But I haven’t been able to go outside—that is very depressing.”

The 52-year-old says she was hospitalized for a condition that might have been intensified by the gas exposure and she also worries that the leak was responsible for the death of her dog. Bonnie, a seven-year-old labrador-mix, was recently killed by a rapidly growing tumor in her lungs.

“Within six weeks she became so sick she couldn’t breathe. She was choking. She was vomiting, pooping blood. She died a horrible death,” Masliah says solemnly, adding that other neighborhood animals are exhibiting symptoms. “We are all trying to put two and two together,” she exclaims. “Are they all getting sick from inhaling these noxious fumes? My vet said it’s possible.”

She’s now concerned about her other dog, Bonnie’s brother Clyde.

Along with thousands of other local residents who have joined together to file a class-action lawsuit against Southern California Gas Co., Masliah teamed up with Erin Brockovich—the environmental consumer advocate famously portrayed by Julia Roberts—to organize demands for full disclosure from the company.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer also filed a separate suit against and Assembly member Mike Gatto, who was named chairman of the Utilities and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, announced that he will hold a hearing in January.

“I thought it was appropriate—particularly for this committee that I have now been asked to chair—to get involved and make sure that things are done correctly and that we get some answers to the questions we have wanted to get for a long time,” Gatto tells Upvoted, explaining that the legislature should play a role in ensuring the issue is addressed.

He hopes to push for better solutions to prevent the problem from happening again, and emphasizes that even beyond the devastating environmental impact, the issue is causing concerns outside the community.

“Just about every place in Southern California has gas lines and gas wells. People are asking: What is our state infrastructure underground? Is it as bad as our roads? Could this happen in my neighborhood? Why did the response take so long?” he explains, adding, “There are a whole lot of questions at this point and there have not been too many answers.”

The Environmental Protection Agency also wants answers. At the behest of Congressman Brad Sherman, the EPA has partnered with other federal agencies to launch an investigation into the how the leak occurred. Officials are also calling for Southern California Gas Co. to provide proof of compliance with the Clean Air Act both before and after the well ruptured, and detailed plans for how the company will stop the spilling emissions.

Currently, Southern California Gas Co. is rushing to drill a relief well to intercept the leaking one. Next, cement will be pumped in to contain the gas. The new well must be drilled more than 8,500 feet into the earth—Southern California Gas Co. is currently less than half of the way there.

Until then, the company has promised to relocate approximately 6,000 Porter Ranch households affected by the leak. So far, 2,292 have been placed into temporary homes.

Masliah, along with her husband and Clyde, are one of the families who have been given new housing. They will move into their new townhouse on January 1 and are funded through April of 2016.

“Hopefully they can figure out this gas leak by then and I can move back to my beautiful home,” she says, adding that the stress of starting the new year in a new place has complicated her illness.

Still, she says, they are all glad to finally get away from the leak.

“They are moving us to the top of the Agora mountains and it’s fresh air,” she says happily. “I can’t wait to get up there, sit on the balcony—and just breathe.”