Help Prioritize Study Details for Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Blowout Health Study

The open-ended research questions need to be shaped (prioritized) for Science research to tackle. Now is your chance to contribute to the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Blowout Health Research Study.

By Scott L from Los Angeles,

Note: My name is Dr. Mike Kaiser and I am a member of the Aliso Canyon CAG. The views, interpretations are based on my own observations while serving on the Aliso Canyon CAG. More details can be found by clicking here.

The Priority Survey below to help shape the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study can also be taken by clicking here.

Introduction: Please Help Prioritize Study Concerns

October 23rd just passed last week marking the 4th year anniversary of the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Blowout in Porter Ranch (San Fernando Valley, CA). The natural gas blowout is the largest single release of methane gas, spewing out 109,000 tons of Methane gas over the course of the time period of October 2015 through February 2016. The damage is unknown and truly incomprehensible.

SoCalGas Company was responsible for the historic blowout. Litigation resulted in an award of $113 million from the Gas Company. Part of the settlement dictates that $25 million of the settlement will be used to conduct a large-scale (historic) Health Research Study. Written into the settlement is that the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study will be conducted by a Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC).

Due to the large scale mistrust between the public and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH), the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study aims to be as transparent as possible. LADPH has gone to local residents along with the surrounding communities (i.e. neighborhood councils) and formed a ‘Community Advisory Group’ (CAG).

The aim of the CAG is to serve as a conduit through which to convey (transmit) the health concerns of the public to the Scientific Oversight Committee to incorporate into the overall Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study. Which is to say, the questions and concerns of the community surrounding the adverse (negative) health impacts of the potential chemicals released both during the blowout and after to the SOC to incorporate into the Health Research Study.

So far, the CAG has formed and conducted a few meetings. As I expressed at the beginning of this blog post, the views expressed here and on my blog site are my interpretations while serving on the Community Advisory Group. For meeting updates and information, please visit: www.alisocanyoncag.blogspot.com

Now, onto the participation that you have been waiting for…Ready?

Please Provide — Input and Prioritize Health Concerns

One obvious recurring statement that has arisen during the first two CAG meetings is the fact that a prior ‘Health Study’ was performed by Southern California Air Quality Management District scientists. The study is described here. Residents expressed health concerns and questions to which they wanted answers. Questions such as: According to the results, the Health Study conducted by the SCAQMD was a failure.

Therefore, how will this Health Research Study be any different? Over the last few years, LADPH has collected an abundance of ‘health concerns’ and ‘health questions’ to be incorporated into the current Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study. Click here to view!

On top of the incorporation of these comments (and concerns) into the new Health Study, the CAG will ensure transparency at all levels. Keep visiting my blog site to see updates along with current happenings of the CAG and SOC working together to accomplish the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study. Additionally, CAG meetings are open to the public. I will start to post in advance of each CAG meeting — starting in November.

Time for you (the reader) to participate:

The comments collected (and will continue to be collected) are summarized in the 42 bullet statements shown below in a survey. I would ask you to choose 10 bullet statements to incorporate into the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study.

Note: there is only $25 million to devote initially to the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study. Therefore, choosing 10 statements to study from 42 choices will help the Scientific Oversight Committee come up with a few ‘research questions’ to study overall.

Remember, the survey below is my (Dr. Mike Kaiser) avenue to collect information to give to the Scientific Oversight Committee. Other CAG members may use other avenues to collect health concerns and priorities.

Choose 10 statements by checking ‘yes’ from 42 questions below and then hit “Submit”. Remember that you have to scroll down to the page — form embedded in the blog post. And be sure to hit the “Submit” button to send the survey to be collected and processed.