A retired Hollywood set builder, Gary Gless bought his home in Baldwin Hills 12 years ago. After he and his wife found their dream home, Gless spent 9 months gutting and rebuilding the place by himself.
"I ate and slept here and then got up in the morning and kept working," Gless said.
Just before the toxic gas leak in 2006, Gless and other residents began to notice cracks in the interior and exterior walls to their homes.
According to Tom Williams, a former geologist for oil refineries, the cracking is caused by the nearby oil field injecting water into the terrain to draw more oil.
After the County imposed a moratorium in 2006 on new drilling, PXP continued to rework old drills and Gless noticed the damage to his home and neighborhood continue.
"I had no idea what was next door until the area got disturbed," Gless said.
Since the County Board of Supervisors lifted the drilling ban in 2008, Gless has spent his days fighting PXP tooth and nail. He began a nonprofit organization, the Citizens Coalition for a Safe Community, and filed a lawsuit against the County to stop PXP from drilling more.
"We've really been let down by the County," Gless said. "The people in charge of protecting us failed. I've had to stop my life to help the community."
According to Tom Williams, a former geologist for oil refineries, the cracking is caused by the nearby oil field injecting water into the terrain to draw more oil.
After the County imposed a moratorium in 2006 on new drilling, PXP continued to rework old drills and Gless noticed the damage to his home and neighborhood continue.
"I had no idea what was next door until the area got disturbed," Gless said.
Since the County Board of Supervisors lifted the drilling ban in 2008, Gless has spent his days fighting PXP tooth and nail. He began a nonprofit organization, the Citizens Coalition for a Safe Community, and filed a lawsuit against the County to stop PXP from drilling more.
"We've really been let down by the County," Gless said. "The people in charge of protecting us failed. I've had to stop my life to help the community."
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