Bill to shut down SoCal Gas Aliso Canyon facility moves forward

PORTER RANCH, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A bill to temporarily shut down the Southern California Gas facility at Aliso Canyon moved forward Tuesday in the state Senate, giving new hope to residents affected by the 2015-16 massive gas leak.

Senate Bill 57 advanced out of the Senate energy committee and now moves to the Appropriations committee.

If approved, it would require the Aliso Canyon facility to remain closed until a thorough investigation determines the root cause of the October 2015 gas blowout that forced the evacuations of thousands of people in the Porter Ranch area.

The gas leak was first discovered on Oct. 23, 2015 and was not capped until mid-February 2016, making it the nation's largest-ever methane gas leak.

Many residents have called for a permanent shutdown of the facility, but SoCal Gas has argued it is needed to meet demand for natural gas in Southern California.

The company also argues that the facility is now safe.

"Our position remains that Aliso Canyon is safe and any legislation that prevents injections from resuming until the root cause analysis is completed is unnecessary," SoCal Gas said in a written statement.