Porter Ranch residents worry In the wake of methane gas leak

PORTER RANCH, Calif. – “Home is supposed to be the safest place, but that assumption has been turned on its head,” said Bradford Gilde, an environmental attorney who recently visited the streets of Porter Ranch, just a stone’s throw from the site of the worst methane gas leak in U.S. history. As homeowners return to their community, many are left wondering where to start in their quest to regain normalcy and to get answers.

Gilde said the natural gas emitted during the leak consisted mostly of methane. Though methane is not toxic, other chemicals were also present, including mercaptans and hydrogen sulfide. Both are foul-smelling, even at low levels, and can lead to many of the symptoms described by Porter Ranch residents, including severe nosebleeds, nausea, sore throat and eye irritation,” said Gilde.

The leak also contained benzene, a known carcinogen compound. Gilde said the negative effects of benzene at high concentrations in industrial settings are well-documented, but there is little research that explores the effects of low level exposure over the course of several months, as was experienced in Porter Ranch.

Now homeowners are facing uncertainty about how to move forward, and many questions remain unanswered, including how to remediate for these chemicals and what may happen to property values. “The place that families count on for security has been turned into the epicenter for stress and unpredictability,” said Gilde.

Gilde understands the impact of the energy sector on the lives of individuals and on entire communities. His landmark legal victory for a family in Texas whose health and property were effected by fracking and unconventional shale gas development was featured in the hard-hitting environmental documentary, Gasland 2 and was reported on by The New York Times, CNN, NPR and other national news organizations.

“Part of returning to normalcy for the residents of Porter Ranch and surrounding communities should be to make sure their rights are protected. We have the experience and the know-how to fight and to achieve results for our clients.”

For more information about Gilde Law Firm, call (800) 973-3106, or visit www.GildeLawFirm.com