oil drilling in whittier parkland

The economic collapse in the fall of 2008 and recession has impacted nearly all governmental jurisdictions including the City of Whittier. With new technologies to “see underground” Matrix Oil approached the City to apply for a lease to renew oil drilling in the hills. According to Matrix, the best site to get the most oil lies in Core Habitat of the Whittier Hills Open Space that is owned the City but managed by the Habitat Authority. The City hopes and expects to reap hundreds of millions of dollars from this arrangement. Some of the funds are proposed to go to the Habitat Authority.

Quick Facts

• On November 30, 2011, City of Whittier Councilmembers voted 5-0 to allow oil drilling on protected lands the City owns.
• Though the oil drilling project has “only” a 7 acre direct footprint, the impacts will be felt by the land well beyond.
• The narrow dirt access road to the Savage Canyon landfill that is currently used only by rangers for patrol, will be paved, widened and given a wide fuel modification on each side for oil company vehicle use.
• As approved, the operations will continue from a consolidated site north of Catalina for 30 years.
  

Status

• The City Council approved the project in late November.
• It is unknown if lawsuits will be filed challenging the project.
• Allowing an oil drilling operation in protected parkland is bad public policy. As approved, the mitigation package includes funding for acquisition, a possible second linkage over or under Colima and staffing. Formal conservation easements will be placed on the remaining City owned habitat parkland.

Resource Values at risk

• Rare Habitats
  The property contains the threatened coastal sage scrub. It is estimated that only 15% of the once thriving plant community remains undisturbed.
  
  
• Contains Critical Habitat
  A number of rare and endangered species live in coastal scrub habitats including the endangered California gnatcatcher. A breeding pair exists close to the proposed drilling site.
  
  
• Core Habitat
  The site of the proposed oil drilling operation lies in an area designated “core habitat” i.e. a specific area deemed essential for the long-term survival and recovery of endangered or threatened species. It is also a nursery site for bobcats.

Project History

• In the fall of 2008, the City of Whittier signed an oil lease agreement with Matrix Oil giving them permission to drill on city owned parkland managed by the Habitat Authority.
• The funds to purchase the parkland money came from Proposition A, a Los Angeles County Measure that voters passed in 1996. Because the funds came from the Los Angeles Regional Park and Open Space District, the District must approve the conditions of the drilling project.
• When the city purchased the land they also purchased the mineral rights. The land itself is managed by the Habitat Authority.
• A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was released in October 2010 with the major analysis being done on three sites. When it appeared that a different consolidated site would likely be chosen, they did a new EIR focusing on this new preferred site.
• Opposition sprang up from concerned neighbors and residents. The alleviate some of the concerns of residents, a road through the habitat lands was deemed the best option for access, despite its impact on the protected open space.
• A second EIR that focused on the consolidated site was circulated in the summer of 2011.
• The Planning Commission approved the project on a 5-0 vote in October 2011.
  

Whittier Oil Drilling Simulation (232 KB- PDF)