Porter Ranch Residents Are Still Getting Sick Weeks After Gas Leak Was Fixed

Just as the Aliso Canyon gas leak dumped a million barrels of natural gas per day for months with almost no media attention, the underground storage facility was finally capped on February 18th with little fanfare. Most people are completely unaware that it was fixed, or that an environmental disaster had even occurred in the first place. But despite the fact that the gas leak has supposedly been fixed for over 6 weeks, it seems like the residents of Porter Ranch have never been so sick.

According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department “Some residents, however, are currently reporting symptoms similar to those experienced throughout the 16-week period that gases were being released from Well SS-25. These symptoms include headache; stomach upset; dizziness; and eye, nose, and skin irritation, sometimes in the absence of odors.” In total, the Health Department received 700 complaints within two weeks after the gas leak was capped.

One Porter Ranch resident admitted “My sons, Jayden and Mason, have been getting bloody noses, headaches, upset stomachs, burning eyes, runny nose, dry skin.” Another resident explained that many of her worst symptoms disappear when she leaves her house, and reappear when she comes home. “My partner has had headaches, fatigue, and a burning sensation in his chest at the same time I have. Our cat has had a nosebleed and vomited. When I am away from home, the headache goes away instantly. The cough and nosebleed stay for a while, and are gone after.”

Clearly, something is not right here. Either the leak was not really fixed or some of the chemicals that polluted the environment are still lingering. Somehow I doubt all these people are deluding themselves.