The lawsuit claims the commission engaged in “piecemealing” by treating a well abandonment as a standalone project, despite its connection to the larger Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project
The community coalition Defend Ballona Wetlands filed a lawsuit on July 25 against the California Coastal Commission, alleging the agency unlawfully approved a fossil gas project that threatens the ecologically sensitive Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Playa del Rey.
The suit, joined by Protect Ballona Wetlands and environmental scientist Robert van de Hoek, accuses the commission of violating state environmental laws by allowing Southern California Gas Co. to plug and abandon two natural gas monitoring wells, Del Rey 14 and 19, without proper review.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims the commission engaged in “piecemealing” by treating the well abandonment as a standalone project, despite its connection to a larger, now-decertified Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project. A 2023 court injunction halted activities at the site after a judge invalidated an environmental impact report (EIR) prepared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), citing improper segmentation of the project. The coalition argues the commission’s April 11 approval of a Coastal Development permit disregards this ruling, risking nearly 30,000 square feet of protected vegetation.
The California Coastal Commission declined to comment due to the pending litigation but referred to its April 11 staff report, which asserted the project aligns with the California Environmental Quality Act and Coastal Act policies. The report argues the well abandonment is a routine maintenance activity, as it involves no expansion of the gas facility and occurs outside environmentally sensitive habitat areas. It emphasizes protective measures, including biological and archaeological monitoring, sound walls to reduce noise and dust, and a revised reseeding plan with native plants to restore the site. The commission further contends that the project’s temporary impacts, such as brief trail closures, are mitigated by safety protocols and that no replacement wells are needed.
The Ballona Wetlands, one of Los Angeles County’s last coastal wetlands, supports diverse habitats critical for migratory birds and rare species. The project involves removing three trees and clearing significant vegetation, classified as a repair and maintenance activity but requiring a permit due to its environmental impact.
Attorney Bryan Pease, representing the petitioners, criticized the commission for extending the life of the Playa del Rey gas storage facility, which a 2018 California Council on Science and Technology report labeled the state’s most dangerous due to its proximity to homes, schools, and places of worship. “This piecemealing is not only illegal but contradicts California’s climate goals,” Pease said.
Wendy-Sue Rosen, president of Protect Ballona Wetlands, emphasized feasible alternatives exist, such as halting fossil gas injections beneath the wetlands. Marcia Hanscom, a coalition co-founder, called the project a “death by a thousand cuts” to an ecosystem California spent $139 million to protect in 2003. SoCalGas’s plans, which include slant drilling and infrastructure expansion, have drawn opposition from local governments, including Los Angeles, Culver City, and Santa Monica.
