Esperanza Statement on the Permanent Closure of the AllenCo Site

After more than a decade of tireless community organizing, advocacy, and leadership, the State officially announced all 21 wells on the AllenCo drill site permanently closed. Today, we celebrate this victory and honor community members who fought for their health, their loved ones, and the community. This is a reflection of people power and a step towards repairing the harm imposed on our communities.

AllenCo has harmed the University Park neighborhood and surrounding area for more than 10 years, leading to toxic exposure and detrimental health impacts. Despite the oil industry’s tactics, community members did not back down and formed People Not Pozos to fight for clean air and health. People Not Pozos along with our Promotores conducted several health surveys that exposed the health impacts community members were facing who lived in close proximity to AllenCo. Through community organizing, People Not Pozos raised awareness of AllenCo and pressured the operator, elected officials, and regulatory agencies to cease operations and shut down the site. In 2023, the AllenCo drill site was selected as part of the State’s Oil and Gas Well Abandonment Program and as of yesterday, all 21 wells have been permanently sealed – ending the chapter of oil drilling in the University Park neighborhood.

As we celebrate this victory, we continue our fight to end neighborhood oil drilling throughout all of the City of Los Angeles and hold operators accountable by ensuring that they pay for the clean up of these sites. We will continue to dismantle historical and systemic barriers that have perpetuated health disparities through equitable land-use planning and development rooted in community.