Boxer, Feinstein Ask For Federal Task Force To Address Porter Ranch Gas Leak
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Sen. Barbara Boxer said Wednesday she and fellow California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein have asked President Barack Obama to convene a multi-agency task force to address issues around the Aliso Canyon gas leak.
Boxer, who is not seeking re-election after her fourth term, made the announcement at Los Angeles City Hall during a presentation honoring her career.
Boxer said she has asked that the task force to be headed by the Energy Department, to "address the serious issues related to the gas leak at Aliso Canyon and the Porter Ranch community."
"I met with the people there. I know how nervous they are about returning to their homes," she said. "And we can't rest until people are safe in their homes. So we are going to keep fighting together."
The leak from a Southern California Gas Co. well at the Alison Canyon storage facility was discovered Oct. 23. It was stopped on Feb. 11, and officially declared sealed on Feb. 18.
Fearing health problems from the leaking gas, thousands of residents moved out of the area and into temporary housing funded by the Gas Co. According to the utility, around 2,600 residents remain in temporary housing, costing SoCalGas about $1.8 million a day.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)