In a major victory for environmental justice advocates, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to phase out existing oil and gas wells over a period of five years and ban new ones. Black and Latino residents are disproportionately affected by the more than 5,000 active wells in LA County, with wide ranging complaints of health issues arising from air pollution. The city will now move to draft an ordinance prohibiting oil and gas drilling, changing zoning laws, and conduct an amortization study how oil companies can make back their investments if not already done so. The LA council also created a jobs program to assist oil and gas workers transition to other industries. (AP, The Guardian, CNBC)