Feuer Wants Court Order To Speed Up Porter Ranch Relocation

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said he will seek a court order in an effort to speed up the relocation of families affected by an ongoing natural gas leak at a storage facility near Porter Ranch.

City attorneys are also requesting that Southern California Gas Co., which operates the gas storage facility, appoint one or more "special masters" to oversee the relocation process and make temporary housing available within 48 hours for any resident requesting relocation.

Feuer also wants gas company employees to be deposed as early as Jan. 7 to address questions about the leak's causes, efforts to stop the leak, the date they think it could be fixed, the contents of the gas and other issues.

James P. Clark, Feuer's chief deputy attorney, said "it's time Porter Ranch residents had direct and complete answers about all facets of this leak, including what caused it, how to stop it, and what will be done to assure it never happens again."

Clark added that residents "should also receive better, quicker and completely adequate relocation assistance."

Residents have complained of nausea, nosebleeds, dizziness and headaches related to the leak, which was discovered by gas company officials on Oct. 23.

So far, thousands of residents have voluntarily left the area and two schools have been closed.

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