Gould Prof. Advises Porter Ranch Residents

Gregory Keating contributes to Legal Town Hall for those affected by Aliso Canyon gas leak -By Jared Servantez

Prof. Gregory Keating said residents near the leak have strong nuisance claims against the gas company.

Gregory Keating, USC Gould professor and expert on torts and professional responsibility, appeared at a Legal Town Hall event in Porter Ranch to help educate residents and businesses affected by the gas leak at the nearby Aliso Canyon underground storage facility on their legal rights. Keating spoke on a panel alongside legal experts from the City Attorney’s Office, the UCLA School of Law and the California Public Utilities Commission about the legal process for Porter Ranch residents with nuisance law claims against the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). Possible damages for those affected by the leak include months of dislocation from temporarily uninhabitable homes and businesses, depressed property values and both existing and potential health effects, Keating said. “It’s speculative whether or not home prices will crash and crash forever, or if this will blow over and return to normal for that area,” Keating told the Los Angeles Daily News. “Whenever something is speculative, it’s much more difficult to prove as a matter of damages.” The informational event, hosted by Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitchell Englander, also allowed people to take part in a one-on-one workshop to review legal documents and discuss questions about relocation, mediation and avoiding scams in the wake of the gas leak that has displaced thousands since it began in late October. After several attempts by SoCalGas to plug the leak, it was finally temporarily controlled on Feb. 11.  Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey ‘82 recently filed criminal charges against the gas company for the leak, which has led to the relocation of more than 11,000 people so far. Councilmember Englander’s office estimates at least 92,000 metric tons of methane have escaped from the storage facility since the leak began.