Board of Supervisors Declares Local Emergency to Expand Resources for Dominguez Channel Response

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has proclaimed a local emergency to enable additional resources under state disaster legislation to respond to the Dominguez Channel Odor Incident. The persistent issue began with reports of foul odors in the area on Oct. 4.

The proclamation, based on a Nov. 2 motion by Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, provides the incident’s multi-agency response team with swift, efficient access

to the technical support and financial resources needed to deliver equitable relief to residents and remediate the odor issue.

It does not change the nature of the incident, which remains a “public nuisance” that must be abated, as directed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The odor is attributed to the low-oxygen decay of organic material in the channel. Microorganisms breaking down the organic matter are producing high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like “rotten eggs,” in a process called anaerobic digestion. The hydrogen sulfide detected in the air fluctuates but remains at levels that are not expected to pose long-term health problems and does not pose an imminent danger to people who have reported experiencing the odor in areas of Carson, West Carson, and portions of Gardena, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Wilmington, Long Beach and neighboring unincorporated communities.

A multi-agency response team, consisting of Los Angeles County Public Works, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Fire Health HazMat and South Coast AQMD, in consultation with state and federal advisers, regularly reassesses the situation and community mitigation recommendations. That team is working around the clock to monitor and eliminate the odors from the channel and bring much-needed relief to affected communities.

The pungent odor event has persisted for nearly four consecutive weeks; however, air quality monitoring by South Coast AQMD and County Fire Health HazMat indicate a downward trend in detectable hydrogen sulfide levels, both within the channel and in surrounding communities. More information on current air monitoring efforts can be found on the South Coast AQMD webpage.

Residents may call the County Helpline at 2-1-1 for more information about the incident, assistance options and reimbursement programs. Online forms are available at: L.A. County Emergency Response (lacounty.gov). There are also community information centers at the Carson Community Center at 801. E. Carson St., in Carson, from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., daily, and at the Wilmington Senior Center, 1371 Eubank Ave., in Wilmington, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily.