#21-026
CITY OF CARSON PROCLAIMS LOCAL EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO CONTINUING FOUL ODOR
URGES CITY, STATE AND WHITE HOUSE FOLLOW
CARSON, CA – OCTOBER 25, 2021 – Today Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes, joined by members of the City Council proclaimed a local emergency in response to the continuing foul odor affecting the City and surrounding communities and called upon other levels of government to do the same. The announcement was the latest action taken after a special meeting held to address the continuing foul odor causing major concern and creating health issues with residents. The City Council also urged the County and Governor Newsom each issue a proclamation of emergency and the White House issue a disaster proclamation declaring a local emergency in the City of Carson.
These proclamations would provide the City, its residents and businesses adversely affected with access to additional resources including cutting through red tape to enable the County to move quickly to implement a permanent solution of dredging the channel and environmental remediation to turn the channel into an amenity to the City rather than a detraction.
“Today the City took a decisive action in declaring a local emergency on behalf of the residents of
Carson,” said Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes. “We are also urging the County, Governor Newsom and
President Biden declare a state of emergency as well to provide access to additional resources for
residents and business owners including but not limited to cutting through red tape to enable the County to move quickly to implement the permanent solution of restoring the channel and implementing environmental remediation.”
The City demands all relevant county, state, and federal regulatory agencies with oversight in, near, or over the Dominguez Channel expedite any and all permitting processes involved in the immediate cleanup and restoration of the channel waters, bottoms, and banks under a state of emergency.
The declaration was the latest action taken by the City to address and remediate the foul odor affecting the health and wellbeing of very resident. Although Dominguez Creek is under County jurisdiction, the City has been doing everything within its power to assist its residents and businesses.
Prior actions included declaring a public nuisance and proactively allocating $300K to provide assistance to local residents. The City also proactively booked blocks of hotel rooms and successfully relocated As of Sunday, October 24, the city has distributed over 600 air purifiers, logged in over 3,400 calls and relocated thousands of impacted residents to over 15 hotels in surrounding cities totaling over 900 hotel rooms. Each was paid for by funds allocated by the City.
Through a partnership with L.A. County, the cost of booked hotel rooms and the distribution of air
purifiers and HEPA filters are now being covered. The City will seek reimbursement for previously booked rooms, air purifiers and HEPA air filters. Residents who secured hotel rooms on their own are currently being advised how to request reimbursement by the County.
The City of Carson is as a majority-minority residential population of African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-American and Pacific Islanders, a significant population who are low- or fixed income, have disabilities, poor health, or access and functional needs, or are senior citizens, and that this population has suffered historical as well as current-day public health and environmental inequities due to the disproportionate health impacts of the COVID pandemic, the intensity of diesel emissions, noise and vibration from trucks in the goods movement industry, and the location of major oil refineries and other petroleum-related facilities.
About the City of Carson: Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2020
census, Carson had a population of 95,558. Located 13 miles south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport. Incorporated on February 20, 1968, Carson is the youngest municipality in the South Bay region of Metropolitan Los Angeles. The city is generally a working-class city with some middle-class neighborhoods.
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