Latest news with #PortugueseBend
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
SoCal Gas begins work to restore natural gas services to residents in Rancho Palos Verdes
Crews from SoCal Gas will begin work to restore natural gas to hundreds of residents in the Rancho Palos Verdes area, a year after services were shut off. After nearly a year of not having natural gas, residents can see the finish line getting closer. In July 2024, the utility company SoCal Gas cut off natural gas service to the Portuguese Bend community of Rancho Palos Verdes after continued land movement in the area. In September 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the area, saying severe storms had significantly accelerated land movement to an average of 9 to 12 inches per week. The city also declared a local emergency and issued evacuation warnings urging residents to gather important documents and items. Last summer, Mayor John Cruikshank said he was worried the gas service would be the first domino to fall, a prediction that ended up being correct. Crews were seen Friday morning digging into the ground so they can install new equipment and infrastructure. Once they complete that, they will go door to door and start restoring natural gas service to homes. There are some properties in the areas that were red or yellow tagged and are too badly damaged to have service restored. SoCal Gas said there are about 22 customers who should get their services back by July. A spokesperson from the utility company said thy are doing upgrades to make sure they're able to adjust to changing conditions. "We're installing automatic shutoff valves, monitoring, reassessing and figure out where to go from there," Brian Haas, a SoCal Gas spokesperson, said. Unfortunately, there are still hundreds of homeowners in Rancho Palos Verdes who are dealing with the ongoing land movement. Some people have chosen to leave, taking advantage of a $42 million voluntary buyout program from FEMA and the state of California. SoCal Gas has said it does appear the land movement has slowed in some areas like Seaview, Portuguese Bend Beach Club and Rolling Hills. Crews will continue monitoring other areas to see if it's safe to bring back utilities there too.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Gas service to be restored in some Palos Verdes communities impacted by land movement
As landslide movement on the Palos Verdes Peninsula has slowed, Southern California Gas Co. is restoring natural gas service to some areas where the utility was cut last year out of safety concerns. In 2024, accelerating landslide movement wreaked havoc in some communities on the peninsula, damaging homes, cutting off utility services, and even forcing some residents in impacted areas to relocate. The Portuguese Bend Landslide has impacted about 650 homes and is considered an ongoing natural disaster. Beginning Tuesday, SoCalGas will begin upgrading and testing its infrastructure in the Seaview area of Rancho Palos Verdes to complete gas restoration for homeowners who request it. The restoration of natural gas to the Seaview community is expected to take four to five weeks. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes noted that red-tagged and yellow-tagged properties will not be considered for restoration. "We are grateful to these communities for their patience during what we know has been a difficult time," said Maria Martinez, director of gas engineering for SoCalGas in a statement. "Given the sustained decreases in land movement, we look forward to the safe restoration of natural gas service for those who are ready to reconnect." The land movement in the Seaview, Portuguese Bend Beach Club, and Rolling Hills communities has drastically slowed since October 2024. The utility company reported that extensive monitoring over the past seven months shows that land movement in these communities is now minimal, with no measurable land movement in Seaview and Portuguese Bend Beach Club since February. Additional safety equipment, such as automatic shut-off valves is part of the upgrade to SoCalGas infrastructure. The restoration of natural gas services does not include the Portuguese Bend Community Association neighborhood, according to the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. Related: FEMA, Cal OES announce $42 million voluntary buyout program to Rancho Palos Verdes homeowners impacted by land movement
