Oil and Gas Extraction Activity Within the Proposed 3,200-Foot Public Health Protection Zone

The first step for California and Governor Newsom to protect communities from being exposed to benzene and other pollutants released from oil and gas drill sites is to use the Governor’s existing authority to halt the issuance of new permits. The adoption of common sense public health measures starting with a drilling setback to establish public health protection zones is also an important step to assure the protection of frontline communities moving forward. While grassroots organizations worked hard for the past 10 years to pass legislation to enact public health protection zones, well funded industry groups were able to block that legislation in the matter of a couple of months.

By spending tens of millions of dollars on paid signature collectors, who many environmental organizations filed complaints against for making fraudulent claims, industry groups qualified a referendum to overturn SB 1137. Such corrupt political maneuvering speaks to the lengths the industry is willing to go to continue extracting fossil fuels and is a direct threat to the democratic process for all Californians. Whether CalGEM continues to issue permits within the proposed 3,200-foot public health protection zone will be a true test for CalGEM’s incoming Director, Doug Ito. Governor Newsom and regulators need to act now to protect California’s frontline communities that suffer as a result of oil and gas industry profits.