The County Board of Supervisors has set its agenda for the upcoming meeting next Tuesday, October 21, 2008.  We are item #58.  This is the meeting at which they will consider (and most likely ratify as-is unless we show up en masse) the currently flawed CSD.

Hearing on amendment to the County Code, Title 22 - Planning and Zoning, to establish the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District (CSD) to establish new development standards and operating procedures for oil and gas production operations in the unincorporated portion of the Inglewood Oil Field (2); and find that the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and reflects the independent judgment of the Board as to the environmental consequences of the proposed CSD, that the mitigation measures identified in the FEIR are the only feasible mitigation measures and find that the remaining, unavoidable environmental effects associated with potential future oil production operations at the Inglewood Oil Field have been reduced to an acceptable level and are outweighed by specific health and safety, economic, social and environmental benefits of the CSD as stated in the Environmental Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and approve and adopt the Environmental Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations. (Regional Planning)  (08-2219) 

There is also a supporting document (200+ pages) that goes with this agenda item.

The FINAL public hearing regarding the CSD for oil drilling in the Baldwin Hills is going to be held on Tuesday October 21, 2008, at 9:00am, downtown at the Board of Supervisors Auditorium, 500 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90012.

County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke has indicated that she will put forth the motion to approve the CSD as-is, despite that it is flawed due to being rushed through the system.  She would rather have this go into law — a weak CSD that fails to address key provisions — than insist that the CSD + EIR process be done correctly and done well.

Here is the flyer that is being circulated.  As well, we have taken out small ads in our two Culver City newspapers.  It is critical that you attend this hearing.  With your help — but really, mostly with your presence — we can influence the County Board of Supervisors to extend this process and do it right.  

With the help of the City of Culver City, we have arranged for park+ride busses to take us downtown so that we do not need to drive ourselves and then deal with parking.  Be part of history, make your voice heard!

Culver Crest residents Ken Kutcher and Suzanne De Benedittis are featured on The Front Page Online. 

http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/…/KutchertoCommissioners-DocumentsNotReadytobeForwarded

http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/…/CitizensallGroupPosts31-ChangesonDrillingforCountytoConsider

http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/…/ActivistSaysPXPShould-BearaLargerShareoftheBurden

http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/…/HowtheCountyShouldProtectResidents-OnceOilDrillingResumesNextMonth

http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/…/KutcherallsLatestMessageCountysAttitude-TowardBaldwinHillsEIRIsaPolicyCall

Despite a huge meeting with the authors of the EIR, none of our comments (”our” here means Culver Crest via the Greater Baldwin Hills Alliance) made it into the CSD.  Thus, here is our response to that hastily crafted Revision 2 of the CSD by the L.A. Department of Regional Planning.  Attached here are responses by CCNA board advisors Ken Kutcher and John Kuechle.  As well, there is a “redline” document, which very clearly shows what our changes are/would be vs. the original.

The Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning released their revised Community Standards District (CSD) document. Public comment is seemingly not solicited, as there is a cover letter that recommends it be adopted by the Planning Commission.

… then this message is for you.

August 2 is D-day!

This is the day on which we decide to go to the beach, or show up at noon at West L.A. College’s Theatre to speak to L.A. County Regional Planning Commissioners to let them know that we do not want PXP Oil Company to turn Culver City into a Cancer Zone.  We must show that we are a force to be heard and to not just let PXP bowl over the County with its proposed plan.

PXP, the oil company operating in the Baldwin Hills oil fields, is proposing to drill an additional 1000 wells and continue to operation the current 436, plus reactivate a good portion of the 600 dormant wells on their property.   Do you want 2,000 wells pumping 24/7 in our “backyards”?  

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and regulations PXP is proposing would make it legal to drill with 500 feet from your home, hospital, health or educational facility.   It contends that it is okay to drill within 50 feet of an active earthquake fault zone.  If there is an escape of toxic fumes (which has occurred in the past), it could encompass most if not all of Culver City.  PXP’s current operating standards are for the most part antiquated yet there has been little or no testing of many of their practices.  They are too numerous to list here but we are challenging them all.  Please visit our website at www.culvercrest.org for more information on this issue.

More startling, if this EIR is approved by the County, it sets PXP’s operating standards for the next 20 years.  We would be powerless to make any adjustments short of a disaster, at which time it would be too late. 

Is this what you want to expose yourself, your children and family to?  If not, it is urgent that all of us attend the noon on Saturday, August 2nd meeting at WLAC and bring all of your concerned neighbors!

We must speak up now!

There will be signs directing you to the auditorium once you’re on campus.

Thanking you in advance for your participation.

The Board of the Culver Crest Neighborhood Association.

Here is a Google Map of the area covered by the proposed CSD.

View Larger Map

Some things to note:

• Click on ‘View Larger Map’ or the link above the map to get a better picture of what’s going on
• Different colored outlines are:
  • Red outline (and red shaded area): proposed CSD
  • Blue outline: active field boundary, i.e. boundary that includes all current oil wells (outline might show up as magenta where it coincides with proposed CSD outline, and orange where it coincides with Culver City outline)
  • Green outline: the City of Culver City.
• Outline data derived from GIS (Geographical Information Systems) data provided by PXP, Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning and the City of Culver City.

Some more articles on PXP Oil, quoting members of the Culver Crest Neighborhood Association.

Toxin risk viewed as top concern over new oil wells

By ARIN MIKAILIAN, Staff Writer 24.JUL.08
At a meeting hosted by Los Angeles County officials this month, residents who live in areas surrounding the Baldwin Hills Oil Field said their personal health was the primary concern with respect to future drilling.

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Uncertainty as drilling moratorium expires

By ARIN MIKAILIAN, Staff Writer 10.JUL.08
A group of Culver Crest residents and some of their neighbors from abutting communities have drafted their own community standards district, in the hopes that it will supplant a similar document presented by an oil company seeking to increase its drilling in a nearby oil field.

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Plan to expand oil drilling by 1,000 wells draws health and environmental concerns

BY LEILONI DE GRUY, Staff Writer 26.JUN.08

Residents of several neighborhoods in and around South L.A. express doubt about proposal by firm that has been source of controversy.

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