City Council

(19) 25-1476 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES, AND RELATED CEQA FINDINGS; and PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT relative to two CEQA appeals filed on the environmental clearance for a Zoning Administrator’s Interpretation (ZAI) applicable to oil/gas well operations in the City, that interprets “well maintanance.” Recommendations for Council action: 1. DETERMINE that the issuance of this ZAI that interprets "well maintenance" is not a "Project" as that term is defined by CEQA Guidelines, Section 15378. 2. DETERMINE that even if this ZAI is determined to be a Project for purposes of CEQA, it is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Project may have a significant effect on the environment. 3. DETERMINE that if the ZAI is a Project under CEQA it is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 (Class 8) and that there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to an exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 applies, including because there is no unusual circumstance. 4. RESOLVE TO DENY the appeals filed by E & B Natural Resources Management Corporation, Hillcrest Beverly Oil Corporation, E&B ENR I, LLC, and Elysium Natural Resources, LLC (Representative: Matthew Wickersham Alston & Bird LLP); and Warren E&P, Inc.; Warren Resources of California, Inc.; and Warren Resources, Inc. (Representative: Ty Thompson, Warren Resources, Inc.), and THEREBY SUSTAIN the environmental clearance approved by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission (LACPC); for a ZAI applicable to oil/gas well operations in the City, issued by the Chief Zoning Administrator on June 12, 2025; for the City of Los Angeles. Case No. ENV-2025-3305-CE-1A Related Cases: ZA-2025-2976-ZAI; ZA-2025-2976-ZAI-1A; ENV- 2025-3305-CE Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by LACPC. Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.