June 28, 2024

Dear Community Members and Families of the Aliso Canyon Disaster area,

We hope this letter finds you well. We write today to update you on Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study progress and upcoming activities.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We held a third community meeting on February 5, 2024, during which researchers presented preliminary findings related to a Birth Outcomes analysis. Thank you to all who attended, asked questions, and suggested methodology considerations. Following the meeting, UCLA prepared and submitted a study manuscript for publication in a scientific journal called “Science Advances.” Community meeting recordings and presentations are available on the Community Engagement page.

The website has been improved and expanded. The Community Engagement page now consolidates meetings, updates, and opportunities to participate all in one place. We launched a new page for Resources containing frequently asked questions (FAQs) from community meetings, which will later be expanded to include reports and publications produced by the study team. In response to community requests, we have highlighted clinical and metabolomics methods for which more information was desired under a new section of our improved Study Approach page.

Study visibility is increasing, with the website, YouTube videos, and Facebook and Nextdoor pages making impressions on thousands of people. Thank you for engaging and please continue to share these resources with your community.

The Community Engagement Support and Advice Network (CESAN) has continued to assist UCLA’s outreach for community meetings and study recruitment for air monitoring and focus groups. UCLA is very appreciative of these efforts. A second CESAN meeting will be held in late August to advise UCLA on outreach methods for the upcoming Health Survey (described below).

STUDY UPDATES

We are halfway through Year 2 of the study. Activities and accomplishments this year include:

• Recruited for and implemented the first round of indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring at 40 homes and locations and began residential gas measurements at 22 homes.
• Enrolled participants and conducted focus groups on the lived experiences of community members impacted by the Aliso Canyon Disaster.
• Prepared Birth Outcomes analysis manuscript and submitted to a scientific journal.
• Continued data collection and analysis for the exposure and risk assessment.
• Processed remote sensing retrieval data and are finalizing analyses.
• Received and are analyzing Quest Diagnostics laboratory data.
• Continued efforts to obtain health care utilization data, statewide cancer data, and neonatal blood spots from the state biobank.
• This process has taken longer than anticipated due to delays in statewide data processing.
• Working through legal channels to request additional SoCal Gas data related to the blowout and ongoing operations.
• Preparing for the community resident health survey and clinical assessments.
• Met quarterly with our Scientific Oversight Committee.

UPCOMING STUDY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

In the next six months, we will begin recruitment for participation in the Resident Health Survey (RHS or Survey) and clinical assessments. To achieve a representative sample of the affected community, a cross section of community members will receive a letter requesting their participation in the RHS. Of the people who participate in the Survey, a subset of individuals will be invited to participate in clinical assessments and biomarkers analysis. We’ll let you know when to watch your mailbox for an invitation letter at your home address to participate in the Survey this fall, so please respond promptly.

The next community meeting will be held in Fall 2024. At that meeting, we anticipate discussing study updates and review of data sources for the exposure and risk assessment. Thanks again for the all the community engagement to date. The information and suggestions received to date, as well as the outreach for community participation, have greatly improved the study.

Please make sure to sign up for our email list on the website’s Contact Us page to receive information as it becomes available.We look forward to seeing you at the next community meeting!

Wishing you a relaxing summer,

The UCLA Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study Team and Partners