Energy giant Sentinel Peak Resources will end oil production in Culver City and seal every one of its 38 wells by 2030 under a historic agreement with the city.
“It’s a win for public health. It’s a win for our communities. And it’s an inspiration for others,” said National Sierra Club Board Secretary and former Culver City Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells (Los Angeles Times). “There are 38 oil wells in Culver City. Those will be 38 fewer pockets of poison in our community.”
This has been a long time coming. Culver City has been working to phase out oil drilling for years. The city controls around 10% of the 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Fields. In 2021, leaders passed an ordinance to phase out all drilling by 2026 (later extended to 2029).
Experts believe Culver City’s actions could be a model for other localities.
“I mean, you go from the 40,000 folks in Culver City to 4 million in L.A. It’s pretty exciting, right?,” said Sahli-Wells.
There are some concerns that the cost of remediation could fall on taxpayers. But, for now, the city is celebrating a new era of environmental justice, with one less threat to public and environmental health looming over the city.
“We look forward to the transformation of our hillside area away from oil uses and the future use of this area as an integral part of our Culver City community,” said Mayor Albert Vera.
Read more at Culver City Crossroads.