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does that mean you should be held to a higher standard of care?" Aliso Canyon is not the only storage facility in the U.S. that is at risk of leak- ing. There are more than 40o natural- gas storage facilities fashioned out of former mines and other underground formations that together store some 3.6 trillion cu. ft. of natural gas. The gas is moved to U.S. homes, businesses and power plants through a vast network of pipes and service lines. Adam Brandt, a Stanford professor who studies energy engineering, ar- gues that such a complex system needs regular maintenance. "It's like going to the dentist and fixing problems while SOURCES: EDE; EPA; LATIMES; ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION they're small," he says. But much of the natural-gas network has operated for decades with little investment in ef- forts to inspect and update the system, while regulations are outdated and often lightly enforced. A full accounting for methane leaks is difficult to compile, but recent research has estimated that natural-gas-gathering facilities alone leak ioo billion cu. ft. of methane each year—more gas than the entire country burns in a day. obama proposed new rules last year to reduce fugitive meth- ane emissions from the power sector, but even if finalized—the rules face GOP and industry opposition—they would ad- dress only a small portion of total leaks. The Porter Ranch spill may be a wake-up call. California launched an emergency rulemaking effort this month that requires the use of infrared technology to detect leaks—methane is visible on infrared video —and reg- ular testing of safety valves used on wells. Without such efforts, energy and environmental-policy makers may need to rethink how they use gas to fight climate change. "This is the begin- ning. We're going to see this all over the place," said R. Rex Parris, an attorney for displaced residents. "These wells are messed up just like our roads and bridges are messed up. But at least you can see that." a ROOM