Jokes aside about how the earthquake was an act of god to smite valley electeds for being exceptionally awful, it was a grim reminder of how fragile our disaster relief systems are and how no matter how awful housing and environmental injustice is now, it can always get worse. 1/

The earthquake last night had a magnitude of 4.2 and was epicentered in the northeast San Fernando Valley, not far from the site of the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, site of the biggest gas blowout in US history that had a bigger climate impact than the BP oil spill. 2/

Aliso is located on the Santa Susanna Fault, and every single well in the facility is bisected by fault lines. An ex-SoCal Gas employee told the public that a larger earthquake could rupture every single well, causing a “catastrophic loss of life” in the San Fernando Valley. 3/

For reference, the rupturing of a single well displaced well over 25,000 Angelenos, and poisoned hundreds of thousands more. This wasn’t just a gas leak, this was a preventable climate catastrophe that took the lives of North Valley residents, pets, and wildlife. 4/

Though the blowout has been framed as a tragedy impacting the mostly affluent & white Porter Ranch neighborhood, disaster relief is in no way created equal and this narrative erases the thousands upon thousands of low income Black and Brown families and students also affected. 5/

While many displaced families were able to secure temporary housing in hotel rooms, far more folks impacted were not able to secure such temporary housing, most notably unhoused valley residents who were exposed to the poisonous contaminated air around the clock. 6/

Should a larger earthquake occur, like the >6.3 earthquake scientists predict to hit the valley in the next few decades, thousands could die, and millions could be displaced with no promises of housing or safety. https://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20170723/ex-socalgas-employee-warned-regulators-of-potential-catastrophic-loss-of-life-at-aliso-canyon 7/

It seems like a no-brainer to shut down the storage facility, but @GavinNewsom has actually allowed Aliso withdrawals to increase by 3000%. Like our so called “climate mayor” @ericgarcetti, Newsom doesn’t care about the environment unless it’s politically convenient. 8/

He doesn’t care that Aliso kills and displaces, and stands to kill and displace thousands (if not millions) more in the LIKELY case of a larger earthquake, or even another Saddleridge Fire. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-11/saddleridge-fire-approaches-aliso-canyon-gas-facility-site-of-massive-2015-blowout 9/

Aliso Canyon is not just a threat to valley residents, but to all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic and CA’s houselessness crisis has proven that time and time again, our elected officials will preserve their careers and wallets during a disaster, before any of our lives. 10/

It’s coming up on the five year anniversary of the gas blowout this year, and this earthquake was yet another wake up call that Aliso needs to get shutdown now. Fuck Garcetti? Absolutely. But fuck Newsom too. #ShutAlisoDown #StopAlisoWithdrawals 11/

For more info, check out this thread below or dm me ( @greenewdeal) with any questions! https://twitter.com/realfoodnagy/status/1288178140976570368

Final thought: building systems of community care is powerful when we can’t trust our existing systems to support us, especially in times of disaster. Talk with your neighbors about what support they would need during a crisis, and what support they can offer too.