KIDS TO SCHOOL NURSE FROM SOCALGAS METHANE LEAK

LAUSD works to close two Porter Ranch schools over gas leak

Howard Blume and Carla Rivera, December 16, 2015 (LA Times)

“…Los Angeles Unified School District officials are preparing] to close [Porter Ranch Community Elementary School and Castlebay Lane Charter Elementary School due to effects of] a natural gas leak in Porter Ranch as many parents expressed rising fears over their children's health…A number of steps have already been taken, including placing air filters in every classroom, adding more nurses and conducting air quality monitoring at the two campuses…But odors from the gas leak are distracting students and impeding learning…Concerns have mounted since the gas leak was detected at the Southern California Gas Co.'s Aliso Canyon facility on Oct. 23…

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“The release is mostly methane, which is not dangerous and poses no long-term health risks, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health…But nontoxic odorants added to natural gas to help in detecting a leak appear to be causing short-term health affects…A district report said the number of visits to the nurse's stations at the schools rose to as high as 38 one day last week…Headache and stomachache are the most common symptoms, with some students experiencing nosebleeds, nausea and vomiting…A report by the California Air Resources Board found that the leak is releasing about 50,000 kilograms of methane an hour, so much that it's boosting California's emissions of the potent greenhouse gas…” click here for more

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