FREE Legal Town Hall For Residents Affected By SoCal Gas Leak

You’ve probably already heard about the SoCal Gas Leak near Porter Ranch – methane and other gases have been leaking from SoCal’s Aliso Canyon storage facility since mid-October. Thousands of residents have been relocated already and many more are complaining of feeling sick due to the constant fumes, suffering headaches, vomiting, dizziness, nausea, and more. Experts suggest that the leak may not be plugged until at least February.

In the meantime, dozens of residents and at least one state agency have already filed lawsuits against SoCal. These suits involve a variety of allegations, including that SoCal Gas knew about the Porter Ranch gas leak, that it could have prevented it from happening in the first place, that it failed to act to protect the affected residents in a timely manner, that the leak injured members of the public, and more.

Know Your Rights

So what are your options if you’ve been affected by the Aliso Canyon gas leak?

Councilperson Mitchell Englander is working with the SFVBA, the Korean American Bar Association, and City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office to plan free town hall meetings and legal clinics for the communities affected by this leak. The first will be held this Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at Shepherd of the Hills Church, located at 19700 Rinaldi St. in Porter Ranch.

The doors open at 6:00 and a panel discussion with legal experts and Q&A will begin at 6:30. Experts from USC and UCLA law schools and the City Attorney’s office will give general legal information about the leak and your rights as residents.

Starting at 8:00, local attorneys will provide free legal workshops to give more detailed information and give residents a chance to speak with a lawyer one-on-one. You’ll have the opportunity to ask about relocation, mediation, and more. You can bring in any documents you’ve received about the leak and your options for review. The attorneys will also give advice on how to avoid scammers seeking to take advantage of the people who have been affected by the leak. There will be additional clinics in the future to help residents who want more substantive legal information and advice.

This is a FREE legal clinic to help educate the residents of Aliso Canyon area about their rights during this difficult time.

For more information, call the office of Councilmember Mitchell Englander at (818) 882-1212 or (213) 473-7012

Email: Councilmember.Englander@lacity.org