LA PORT AT RISK-PART OF A SERIES - Last Thursday (Aug 2), a representative of the California State Lands Commission made an appearance before the Port of LA Harbor Commission. While he spoke to an agenda item regarding the Vopak oil terminal proposal, Mr. Hermanson’s testimony really focused on the issue of noncompliance by the port and its marine terminal operators with Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards that were initiated by SLC in 2006.
These standards were introduced in an effort to upgrade these antiquated facilities (several built in the 1920’s) to meet a higher standard of operation and also to attempt to insulate themselves better against the ever present earthquake potential. Even more timely considering the Yorba Linda rumblings of the past few days and the Chevron Richmond refinery fire earlier this week.
It is important to note that these antiquated marine oil terminals at the POLA received D and F ratings in an audit of conditions performed by the State Lands Commission some 6 years ago. That audit came with the order to update them as soon as possible.
The SLC’s complaint: not one oil terminal has complied with that order since issued the notices for upgrade. The lack of concern by the port to this major issue is appalling in light of the fact that the port complex itself is resting in a very seismically vulnerable location and it will (at some point) be severely affected by the predicted earthquake (“the big one”) that LA has been anticipating for years.
While our homeowners certainly have concerns about these oil terminals, the real intensity of our concerns continue to lie in the extreme exposure risk posed by the adjacent massive Rancho Liquid Petroleum Gas facility in San Pedro.
Introduced by the POLA over 40 years ago, the 25 Million gallons of LPG storage were directed by the port to be placed outside of their own complex (nearer the residents) out of safety concerns for their own port tenants and assets.
The Marine LPG Storage Facility circumvented any risk analysis, whatsoever, and was exempted from CEQA and LA Fire Regulations. It was also simultaneously exempted from LA Building & Safety permit review and performed a “non-public” environmental impact review after being reported for not properly following the EIR process.
A pipeline was installed to transport the LPG from the tank storage facility to the wharf for shipping. The Port of LA leased the wharf at Berth 120 to the LPG operation for over 30 years. In 2006, after the expiration of the wharf lease, the Port refused to renew the lease, purportedly, for safety reasons.
However, the Port of LA still grants a monthly renewable, revocable rail permit that allows the shipping of this volatile gas through port property daily. Why is this happening? Why would the Port and City of LA condone this high risk operation that seriously jeopardizes their $100 billion dollar annual commercial shipping business?
According to the EPA’s own calculation, a single complete rupture of just one of these LPG tanks has a 3 mile (28 sq. miles) radius of impact and an affected population of 27,000 people. Certainly, most of the Port of LA complex falls easily into this radius of impact.
We have just discovered that the State Lands Commission’s MOTEMS requirements demands that all oil terminals be able to withstand an 8.5 magnitude earthquake. We applaud that requirement, but find great irony and outrage in the fact that within less than a mile of the inner harbor sits this enormous volume of Liquid Energy Gas that represents the energy equivalent of 53 nuclear bombs.
Magnifying that concern is the fact that this Rancho LPG facility sits directly in the Earthquake Rupture Zone of the Palos Verdes Fault (mag. 7.3) in tanks built without LA City Permits in 1973 to a seismic sub-standard of 5.5 – 6.0.
The facility’s land is also identified by USGS as “liquefaction” and “landslide” areas. The nature of highly explosive liquid petroleum gas is that it is heavier than air when it escapes its tank (through a leak or rupture) and it will vaporize and increase in its volume over 200 times. Because this gas is heavier than air, it seeks the lowest levels until it finds an ignition source.
There are a number of available sources of ignition directly on the facility’s own premises not to mention any spark from the multitude of passing cars on nearby Gaffey Street.
There is also a storm drain at the base of this facility (the area of lowest level) that leads directly into LA Harbor. The horrendous potential for a disaster at this facility is so extreme that it staggers the imagination.
In light of this issue, it becomes obvious that the State Lands Commission must involve themselves in the Rancho LPG debacle if they are to make any sense of their efforts to insulate and protect their Marine Oil Terminals.
The incorporation of the liquid petroleum gas facility was a ridiculous and irresponsible mistake in the planning strategy of the Port and City of LA.
The State Lands Commission cannot justify seismic upgrades to any of these lesser threatening marine oil terminals in light of the outrageous risk exposure and threat of decimation guaranteed by the existence of the Rancho Liquid Petroleum Gas facility. Without seriously addressing this LPG facility’s extraordinary hazard, upgrades of other marine oil terminals are ludicrous and a simple waste of millions of (both private and public) dollars.
The mission statement of the State Lands Commission is as follows:
“To serve the people of California by providing stewardship of the lands, waterways, and resources entrusted to its care through economic development, protection, preservation, and restoration.”
The definition of “stewardship” is, “the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.”
Considering the SLC’s charter, it appears that it is the duty of the California State Lands Commission to intercede immediately in the interest of the people of this State on this extremely dire issue. We hope we can count on the State Lands Commission to fill this incredibly flagrant void of stewardship to protect our people, our State’s “economic engine” and, in particular, to guard the integrity of the “public trust”.
(Chuck Hart is the President of the San Pedro Peninsula homeowners United and a retired LAPD detective. Janet Gunter is a long time community activist and member of the San Pedro Peninsula Homeowners United Inc. The SPPHU was one of the litigants in the successful China Shipping lawsuit that was represented by the NRDC in 2001-2003 on the issue of air pollution and aesthetics. They can be reached at: hazardsbegone.com )
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 64
Pub: Aug 10, 2012