Los Angeles, California – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced on Friday, May 17, a significant funding boost of over $35 million as part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is earmarked for the ongoing efforts to clean up and close orphaned oil and gas wells across California, including numerous sites in Los Angeles. The plan involves sealing over 200 such wells and shutting down around 40 related production facilities.
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“This is an issue of environmental justice,” said Mayor Bass. “Today we are locking arms across the city, state and federal governments to continue our work to end neighborhood oil drilling in the City of Los Angeles to protect the health of Angelenos and advance our vision of Environmental Justice. Thank you Secretary Haaland, President Biden and Vice President Harris and our partners at the State for the work that you’ve done to allow us to be here today.”
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is creating jobs and revitalizing local economies while cleaning up harmful legacy pollution sites throughout the country,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “I’ve seen firsthand, including right here in Los Angeles, the urgent need to address these hazardous sites, many of which are actively leaking oil and releasing methane gas. With this historic funding, states like California are making significant progress in plugging wells and protecting communities. These investments are good for our climate, for the health of our communities and for American workers.”
Mayor Bass, during her tenure in Congress, was a pioneering voice advocating for the shutdown of the AllenCo oil facility, which had adversely affected the health of nearby residents. She actively engaged with the community and collaborated with figures like U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and organizations like STAND-LA to tackle this issue. Notably, Nalleli Cobo, who suffered serious health problems from the facility, continues her advocacy and met with Mayor Bass and Secretary Haaland today.
Mayor Bass is also advancing Los Angeles’ environmental leadership, building on the foundations laid by former Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti. In her 2024 State of the City address, she introduced her new Climate Cabinet, which aims to enhance accountability among city departments. This initiative is part of Los Angeles’ ambitious goal to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035 through collaboration with various city agencies.
