The city of Los Angeles will finally be putting an end to oil drilling that has long threatened the health of nearby communities. In January, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously in favor of a ban on new oil wells and supported a study to direct the city in a plan to phase out existing wells, reports the Los Angeles Times.
As oil wells emit likely carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde, studies have linked health problems in surrounding communities to drilling. Over half of the city’s oil wells are in Wilmington, where residents have been complaining about drilling operations for decades.
The studies will determine whether oil companies have recouped their investments at given sites, and if they have, it will be a lot easier to shut down drilling.
