BY NICHOLAS BRANDT

As mentioned before, Porter Ranch is currently having troubles with the gas company who was recently attempting to fix a gas leak. Due to the conditions of the area, the gas company needs to pay for the repair of the leak and the relocation of residents. Because of this, they have decided to raise gas prices.

Since the company began relocating residents, people have been reporting health issues related to the gas leak. Ranging from headaches and dizziness to nosebleeds and nausea,  the leak has had a huge impact on families in the area. The fact that the company stated that it will most likely be plugged in late February or early March makes this even more serious.

However, there is another side to this; what about the company’s status financially? Sure, they need to be responsible for the leak and should compensate for it to Porter Ranch, but with all of the lawsuits and accusations of negligence, the company has to find a way to stay stable. I am not suggesting that they do not pay for the moving, but I can see why it would be hard to do so. They would need a way to raise enough money to stay in business, despite how much I believe that they shouldn’t be in business after this.

To maintain their finances, the gas company has raised gas prices. This may come as unfortunate to most, but the money will indeed go to the repair of the leak and to reimburse the residents of Porter Ranch. In my opinion, I see it as a form of indirect charity to support the solution to the gas problem. The gas company needs to pay for this, regardless if they go out of business or not, and paying a little bit more will go to more than just lining their pockets.

On the bright side, the leak has been patched momentarily, if not permanently. Hopefully, this could cut the price increase short and everything could soon return to normal. However, for now, I believe that paying a small amount more for gas wouldn’t hurt everyday life that much and will help those who struggled during the gas leak in Porter Ranch.