3 companies cited for violations following East Los Angeles oil spill
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued notices of violation to three companies following last month's oil spill in East Los Angeles.
About 25,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Los Angeles River on May 22 after construction crews damaged a 16-inch pipeline while drilling for a fiber optic line near Cesar Chavez and Eastern Avenues, according to AQMD.
"Unfortunately, it's not something we're surprised by what happened," LA County Fire Department spokesperson Jonathan Torres said following the oil spill. "It tends to happen, unfortunately. We're putting in subterranean utilities, so this does happen. It's an accident, we understand. Now it's just a matter of remediating the spill."
The spill caused problems for local wildlife, killing 11 birds and oiling dozens more, and residents, who complained about a lingering petroleum odor in the community, including a nearby school.
Inspectors confirmed the odor at Esteban E. Torres High School and traced it back to the oil spill site, according to AQMD. Regulators said the odors could "cause injury, nuisance or annoyance to a considerable number of persons or to the public."
As a result, inspectors issued the notices requiring the companies to take voluntary actions to reduce emissions.
Notices of violation can lead to civil lawsuits if a company fails to remedy the violations. AQMD issued the notices to the following companies:
- Camarillo Drilling, which performed the drilling operations.
- Arcadian Infracom, the project management company that oversaw the fiber optic installation
- HP Communications, the contractor responsible for installing the fiber optic lines
AQMD said residents can report odors, dust, smoke and other air quality concerns by calling 1(800) 288-7664, via its website or its app.
