Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org, 914-261-4626
Kari Birdseye, kbirdseye@nrdc.org, 415.350.7562
Culver City, CA -- The Culver City Council voted 4-1 last night in support of an ordinance that will phase out oil production and require the cleanup of well sites in the portion of the Inglewood Oil Field within Culver City’s borders within five years.
Local residents and allies have been working for years to protect communities and climate by phasing out oil production in Culver City, and the City Council has long been engaged in a planning process for this area.
The ordinance passed last night is the final step in phasing out drilling in Culver City, which includes the largest urban oil field in the United States, with 10% of the oil field within Culver City’s borders. The ordinance also requires that all wells be properly plugged and abandoned and the well sites and surrounding area be fully remediated by July 28, 2026.
City staff were also directed to develop “just transition strategies” to support impacted workers and community residents. Advocates recommended that any displaced workers be transitioned to high-road jobs with the necessary training and wage compensation. Los Angeles City Council is also considering a motion to look into phasing out oil drilling in the city.
“Tonight’s vote is a product of years of community organizing and a testament to the power of people who relentlessly speak up for their right to clean air and a healthy and safe environment,” said David Haake, M.D., Chair of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter’s Clean Break Committee. “It’s also proof that we don’t have to continue to allow Big Oil executives to operate unchecked in our backyards. Phasing out oil drilling in our communities is both necessary and achievable, and now that Culver City has taken this important step forward, it’s time for the rest of Los Angeles to follow suit.”
“This is an outcome that every community in Los Angeles deserves. The Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors must listen and learn from our neighbors in Culver City and work to phase out toxic oil drilling in communities of color, who are most severely impacted by fossil fuel pollution,” said the Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling (STAND-LA) coalition in a statement. “Communities from South Los Angeles to Wilmington have been advocating for over ten years to see these toxic wells removed from their neighborhoods. Culver City has shared a model for what a responsible, rapid, and equitable just transition can look like—and it’s time for the rest of Los Angeles to follow suit.”
“With this vote, Culver City is showing how to lead a healthy, just transition away from toxic fossil fuels,” said Liz Jones, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “Now the rest of Los Angeles and California need to follow Culver City’s lead towards a clean energy future. We don’t need any more spills, air quality alerts or premature deaths to tell us neighborhood drilling is dangerous. It’s time to end this hazardous practice, and Culver City just showed how.”
“By being bold, Culver City has been able to set the terms for its efforts to end oil drilling – centering community from the very beginning,” said Alexandra Nagy, California Director for Food & Water Watch. “Residents across the state should look to this victory and ask themselves: are my elected officials willing to do the same to protect my health and community?”
“Culver City has the opportunity to finally protect community members from dangerous health risks from oil operations so close to livelihoods,” said Damon Nagami, a senior attorney with NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “A swift phaseout and clean-up of these wells can create quality jobs and save lives.”
“Culver City’s vote to phase out oil production and clean up well sites should inspire cities throughout California to prioritize public health and safety,” said Alison Hahm, an attorney with Communities for a Better Environment. “No one should be forced to live on the frontlines of oil drilling.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.