Angeles City Council Stops Drilling and Extraction After Lengthy Oil Battles

A Citywide Phaseout Begins

The ordinance, approved October 28, halts oil extraction and prohibits wells from being drilled again or deepened. Existing operations within city limits must be phased out over the next 20 years.

Los Angeles is the largest US city to ban oil drilling, and follows the smaller California city of Culver City. The city’s action covers hundreds of operating wells and thousands of inactive ones.

Residents Describe Health Concerns

Oil infrastructure sits near homes, schools, playgrounds and businesses across Los Angeles. Residents living close to wells have reported odors, headaches, nausea and breathing problems. Oil wells can emit pollutants such as benzene and hydrogen sulfide, and research has associated nearby extraction with respiratory illness and reduced lung function. Active and idle wells can also leak methane, while residents say accidents have sometimes sent oil into city streets.

Wendy Miranda, a local campaigner with STAND-LA, said residents had pressed the city for a response for more than a decade. She told DW that she and her mother both have asthma, and described the council vote as representing hope.

Legal Challenges And Industry Response

The council approved a phaseout measure in 2022, but oil companies challenged it in court. Industry groups argued that the city did not have authority to impose the ban, and the measure was blocked.

California later passed legislation giving local governments more power to regulate and restrict oil and gas operations. That change allowed Los Angeles to bring the phaseout back for consideration.

Rock Zierman, head of the California Independent Petroleum Association, said the group considers the ordinance an unlawful taking of private property. He said energy companies were prepared to challenge it and argued it could increase dependence on foreign oil and shift jobs, investment and revenue elsewhere.

Oil’s Long History In Los Angeles

California’s oil industry grew rapidly in the early 20th century, when the state produced about a quarter of the world’s oil. As Los Angeles expanded, development grew around oil infrastructure.

Some wells have been plugged for decades, while others are active or idle. Under California law, an idle well has not produced oil for two years and may potentially return to production.