Losing a loved one — The Koenig-Bolona Family

Gus Bolona and Deirdre Koenig Bolona had been living in Porter Ranch for 15 years when the largest gas blowout in the history of the United States happened next to their home. After raising their four kids in Porter Ranch, they were shocked to learn they were living next to the the second-largest natural gas storage site in the western United States. “It was quite surreal that we were breathing toxic chemicals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Deirdre says. “SoCalGas and our health department sent notices stating the gas was safe and no harm would come to the community. We now know there were thousands of dangerous chemicals in the air we breathed for 118 days. We still breathe those chemicals during their regular maintenance venting, accidents and daily leaks. Over the years we have had six dogs die of cancer and all of them played in the Limekiln Canyon creek which carries runoff from the gas facility.” Deirdre, who worked at a neighborhood school during the blowout, became lethargic and unable to function. Her father suffered as well. “My father – an avid softball player – stopped playing. He didn’t feel strong enough to get up and swing the bat. But he didn’t believe anything bad would happen because he thought that SoCalGas wouldn’t lie and the government wouldn’t allow it. He insisted on staying in our home, less than a mile from the blown out well. I wish I had done more to get him out. He contracted kidney cancer in 2016. We had his blood tested with Dr. Jeffrey Nordella, who conducted a health study of residents, and found it contained many dangerous chemicals –including benzene, formaldehyde, and styrene. My father died in 2017. My neighbor told me that the lady that I bought my house from died from brain cancer. Two more neighbors on the block have also died from brain cancer. My son and husband have had nosebleeds since moving up here, and they had them daily during the blowout.”

Gus, a self-described Republican, feels that gas storage should not be taking place in residential communities. He feels the lack of environmental laws fail to protect people living in frontline communities and he believes Newsom is compromised by the oil and gas industry. “We need to get the Aliso Canyon facility shut down ASAP. It's affecting everyone in a negative way because there are chemicals and toxins in the air. A few people on this street have cancer. I love this neighborhood but I don’t feel safe here because of the facility.”