LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Production at a small oilfield in Los Angeles was suspended while environmental regulators check its emissions, the oil company said.
Allenco Energy Co., said in a letter to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., it had voluntarily ceased production while federal investigators look into complaints by neighbors about respiratory problems, headaches and other issues possibly caused by the fumes.
Allenco said the decision to halt production was made "to give you and the residents in our area a greater sense of confidence in our ability to operate responsibly and to appropriately address any concerns."
Allenco pumps crude from a small 2-acre patch in South Los Angeles, less than a half mile from the University of Southern California campus. Residents had appealed to Boxer to use her clout to help unravel the cause of the reported health problems.
The Los Angeles Times said Allenco was under investigation by city and county agencies, and even the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which leases the site to the company.
