Calif. Regulators Failed To Prevent Worst Gas Leak In U.S. History

Southern California could see as many as 14 blackout days this summer because of the faulty natural gas well at the Aliso Canyon storage field near the Porter Ranch community, northwest of Los Angeles.  That was the warning issued by 4 state agencies yesterday (Tuesday).  The SoCal Gas facility was the site of the 4-month-long gas leak that released some 100,000 tons of methane into the air, making it the largest gas leak in U.S.

As that natural gas leak in the Los Angeles suburb of Porter Ranch continues spewing noxious fumes, some state lawmakers wonder if maybe it's time to rethink the way California regulates private utilities.  KQED's Marisa Lagos filed this story for The California Report.

An environmental group is warning that the United States has more than 400 natural gas storage facilities similar to the one leaking massive amounts of methane in the community of Porter Ranch near Los Angeles.  As KVCR's Matt Guilhem reports, leaking wells actually release huge quantities of gas each year.