Hundreds of unplugged oil wells puncture the urban landscape of Los Angeles. But the city has been reluctant to use its full powers to ensure cleanup and protect the public.

From the Archives: Oil well blowout Oct. 2, 1975: Workmen, left, struggle to put cap with a shutoff valve in place after oil well blowout. Once cap in place, right, flow is turned off.

Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote as soon as next week on a measure that would ban new oil and gas wells in the nation’s second-most populous city.

The Los Angeles City Council has voted 12-0 to ban new oil wells within the city and to phase out all current oil wells within 20 years or less. Los Angeles may not be famous nationally for oil ...

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to ban the drilling of new oil and gas wells and to phase out existing ones over the next 20 years.

Oil and gas wells in Los Angeles Currently, there are over 20,000 active, low-producing, or orphan wells in greater Los Angeles, endangering the health of residents. They may be potentially ...

Los Angeles County has blocked new oil and gas drilling and will phase out of existing operations, expanding on a city-wide ban that was imposed last month.

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Friday to ban new oil and gas wells in the city and eventually close existing ones, part of an oil phaseout trend in California.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed unanimously the ordinance that bans new oil and gas well drilling and phases out existing wells. The ordinance will take effect in 30 ...

Los Angeles County has blocked new oil and gas drilling and will phase out of existing operations, expanding on a city-wide ban that was imposed last month.

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to ban drilling of new oil and gas wells and phase out existing ones over the next 20 years.

Rosalinda Morales and Danny Luna, board members of the neighborhood council in Los Angeles' Echo Park, stand by equipment being used to plug orphaned oil wells at an apartment construction site.