The long history of oil extraction in the nation's most populous county is entering its final chapter.
"Los Angeles County took the first steps toward winding down oil extraction in unincorporated areas, reports Dharna Noor of a decision by the County Board of Supervisors earlier this week. Unincorporated areas account for 65 percent of the county's land area.
The vote prohibits the permitting of new oil wells and launches a process to evaluate existing oil wells. "Currently, existing oil wells cannot legally be shuttered until owners recoup the costs of drilling, so the evaluation will determine if costs have been recouped for each site," explains Noor.
"The measure would also designate all existing oil and gas extraction activities as 'nonconforming' uses, which could allow county officials to revoke drilling permits."
The new law has the potential to shut down 1,600 wells, including the 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Field—the largest urban oil field in the United States. "More than 1 million people live within a 5-mile (8-kilometer) radius of the field, including several neighborhoods that are mostly populated by people of color," according to Noor.
The article includes details about the environmental and public health risk of urban oil extraction—making the county's vote a historic environmental justice victory.
Additional coverage of the vote is available in a separate article by Drew Costley.
FULL STORY: The Beginning of the End of Oil Is Here for Los Angeles County
Lawsuit Challenges L.A. Oil Drilling Ban
Oil companies with operations in the city of Los Angeles are suing over an ordinance that seeks to phase out drilling within city limits due to public health and environmental concerns.
Los Angeles To Phase Out Oil Drilling
The city has banned new wells and will end all extraction within two decades.
Your Not-So-Friendly Neighborhood Oil Well
Much of California's oil and gas extraction takes place in residential neighborhoods, posing significant health risks to entire communities.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research