Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s Statement on Proclaiming The Dominguez Channel Odor Incident a Local Emergency

LOS ANGELES, Calif.— Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, representing the Second District, shared the following statement after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved her motion, proclaiming the Dominguez Channel Odor Incident a local emergency and requesting the Governor of California issue a proclamation declaring a State of Emergency in the County of Los Angeles:

“It has been nearly one month of this persistent sulfurous odor that is causing countless residents in Carson and in surrounding communities near the Dominguez Channel to experience nausea and headaches and forcing many to have to temporarily relocate. While I have seen firsthand the commitment of our County departments in addressing this issue, the unpredictable nature of the odor and the immense interagency response it is taking to solve this challenge and provide relief, require that we access additional resources by proclaiming this a local emergency.”

“The Board’s approval of this proclamation of a local emergency gives the County the ability to expedite the process for securing vital supplies and resources and is a powerful mechanism for requesting financial assistance from the state and federal governments. As we continue to work with the state in assessing this incident, I am asking that the Governor join in proclaiming a state of emergency to ensure we are bringing all resources to bear to solve this issue.”

“I want to be clear that this proclamation of a local emergency does not mean that the hydrogen sulfide levels emanating from the Dominguez Channel now pose an imminent danger to the health of residents. Thankfully, that is currently not the case. However, it does make clear the urgent need for additional support and resources to help with short and long-term solutions to end this odor that is severely impacting the quality of life for thousands of residents.”