[WATCH] From Extraction to Opportunity: Frontline Communities Are Building What Comes Next

For decades, families living near active oil fields have carried the heavy health, environmental, and economic burdens of local oil extraction. Where Big Oil saw profit, frontline communities imagined a healthier future. Thanks to years of relentless grassroots advocacy, that vision is finally becoming a reality. 

We are closer than ever to securing a historic local ordinance to phase out urban oil drilling. This critical ordinance achieves two vital goals by banning all new drilling within the City of Los Angeles and phasing out existing drilling over a 20-year timeline. This community victory has been a long journey. The Los Angeles City Council originally passed this historic ban back in 2022, but Big Oil sued the city, leading to the ordinance being overturned in 2024. Now, we are doing the hard work to pass it again.

Over the next few months, we hope to see the ordinance successfully pass a final vote and be signed into law.

The passing of this ordinance is a monumental step, but the work doesn't end there. With a 20-year phase-out timeline ahead, we must prepare to aggressively defend this victory in the courts against the inevitable legal challenges from Big Oil. It is more important than ever that we double down, protect our wins, and continue fighting alongside the communities at the forefront of these toxic injustices.

This collective fight relies entirely on our dedicated network of grassroots organizations, donor activists, and frontline residents. Moving beyond extraction means stepping into a future of community-led land stewardship, environmental health, and public reinvestment. Together, we can ensure all of our neighbors can finally breathe clean air and thrive.

Watch the video above to hear powerful insights from STAND-LA member Emma Silber and Liberty Hill’s Senior Director of Environmental Health & Justice, Angelo Logan, on what this pivotal moment means for our neighborhoods.