Public Health, UCLA Release Final Report for the Second Baldwin Hills Health Assessment and Environmental Justice Study

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced today the release of the final report for the second Baldwin Hills Health Assessment and Environmental Justice Study as required by the Baldwin Hills Settlement Agreement of July 15, 2011.

A team of researchers from UCLA, in close collaboration with an advisory committee appointed by the Baldwin Hills Community Advisory Panel and Public Health’s Office of Environmental Justice and Climate Health, conducted an assessment to collect data and analyze the health of the community living near the Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) and to determine if health conditions vary based on the distance from the oil field.

Study findings showed that, among 35,221 births between 2000-2019 to residents within 1.5 miles of the IOF, living downwind of the oil field was associated with a higher likelihood of a baby being born preterm, particularly for those within half a mile, suggesting a possible impact of historical oil field operations on pregnancy outcomes.

Analyses of survey and other data collected from 623 current residents found no evidence that residence near or downwind of the IOF was associated with health symptoms, self-reported chronic health conditions, or lung function.

“No one should be at higher risk for having a baby born preterm because of where they live,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “The data from this report sheds light on the health risks our communities living near oil wells face and the need for longer-term studies. We have a responsibility to protect our residents who are on the frontlines of the largest urban oil field in the nation by continuing the necessary work of strengthening health protections while phasing out oil well drilling and transitioning workers to career opportunities in clean energy.”

“We are grateful to the community members, researchers, and partners who contributed to this important study,” said Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. “The findings reinforce the need for continued vigilance and transparency when it comes to understanding how environmental exposures affect health, particularly in communities that have long faced disproportionate exposures to toxic and hazardous materials. We remain committed to advancing health equity by strengthening environmental protections, investing in repair and mitigation strategies in impacted communities, and working alongside residents to create healthier, safer neighborhoods”

Further research using different study methods and a larger sample size could provide additional insights. Detailed information on air pollutants around the oil field, which was measured by the California Air Resources Board as part of their Study of Neighborhood Air near Petroleum Sources, will be available in the future and may provide additional information related to these findings.