LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to phase out all oil drilling in L.A. and ban new wells, a historic move in a city that was built by a once-booming petroleum industry and whose residents have suffered with decades of environmental consequences as a result.
In a 12 to 0 vote, the council approved a new ordinance that immediately bans new oil and gas extraction and requires that all existing oil and gas extractions stop production within 20 years.
The move is opposed by the oil industry, whose leaders warned city officials that the move would hurt the city’s finances and make L.A. more dependent on foreign oil.
