LA Oil and Gas Well Ban

In January, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council voted to ban new oil and gas wells and phase out existing wells over a period of five years. The council declared oil wells “non-conforming” with the city’s land use requirements. A city commission now will study how to phase out more than 5,200 existing oil and gas wells.

LA is home to the highest concentration of urban oil fields in the nation. Recent estimates suggest that 500,000 city residents live within a half-mile of a well, putting them at risk for a variety of health hazards resulting from air pollution and toxic chemical usage.

In December, 2022, the City Council voted to approve the responsive ordinance, included below.