Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, and Senator Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park, released a statement expressing their support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s call for the expedited shutdown of Aliso Canyon.

Newsom called for the California Public Utilities Commission to “engage an independent third-party expert” in order to determine how the closure of Aliso Canyon could be expedited.

“A truly independent analysis that determines how to close Aliso for good, refusing to falsely pit the interests and safety of Porter Ranch against the rest of Southern California, is exactly what we need,” reads the joint statement from Smith and Stern. “Governor Newsom has made promises to our community and he is stepping up to fulfill them. For that, we commend him and look forward to continuing this partnership.”

The Aliso Canyon Oil Field, located just southwest of Santa Clarita, is the site of the largest methane leak from a natural gas storage facility in the history of the United States, forcing the evacuation of more than 8,000 households in the Porter Ranch area between 2015 and 2016, according to officials.

“Governor Newsom’s call to expedite planning for the permanent closure of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility is a positive step for ensuring the long-term safety of our North Valley communities and the reduction of our reliance on fossil fuels,” the joint statement reads. “With the ever-growing threat of climate change and wildfires on the rise, the protection of our constituents’ health and well-being is time sensitive. The shortening of the timeline for closure is a necessity and urgent.”

An estimated 4.62 billion cubic feet of natural gas escaped during the leak, enough to power roughly 21 million homes in the United States for a day, according to state regulators.

The full text of Newsom’s letter can be read here.

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