Kyle Ferrar, MPH, Author at FracTracker Alliance

About Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Western Program Director

Kyle Ferrar is the Western Program Director at FracTracker Alliance where the majority of his current projects focus on extraction activities in California and Colorado. His time and energy is focused on supporting the needs of grassroots organizations in these geographies. Kyle has worked on extraction related environmental justice issues since 2007, and began his career as a staff researcher at the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities at the University of Pittsburgh, where he completed his graduate work.

His current work focuses on connecting the knowledge of empirical research with the stories told by regulatory monitoring data, and leveraging these connections to uplift the lived experiences communicated by frontline communities.

At home, he lives well above the snowline in the Western Sierras with his dogs and partner, where they explore the backcountry for fun and adventure.

Phone: (415) 890-3722
Email: ferrar@fractracker.org

Read Kyle's Staff Spotlight

Entries by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

California is Frack Free, for the Moment

November 19, 2019/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Permitting New Oil and Gas Wells Under the Newsom Administration

July 11, 2019/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

California regulators halt well permitting after Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker reveal a surge in well permits under California Governor Newsom October 24th, 2019 update: There have been several exciting updates since FracTracker Alliance and Consumer Watchdog released a report on fracking and regulatory corruption under Governor Newsom’s administration, detailed in the article below. On July 11th, […]

Impact of a 2,500′ Oil and Gas Well Setback in California

July 2, 2019/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Why does California need setbacks? A new bill proposed by California State Assembly Member Al Muratsuchi (D), AB345, seeks to establish a minimum setback distance of 2,500′ between oil and gas wells and sensitive sites including occupied dwellings, schools, healthcare facilities, and playgrounds. A setback distance for oil and gas development is necessary from a […]

Idle Wells are a Major Risk

April 3, 2019/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Designating a well as “idle” is a temporary solution for operators, but comes at a great economic and environmental cost to Californians Idle wells are oil and gas wells which are not in use for production, injection, or other purposes, but also have not been permanently sealed. During a well’s productive phase, it is pumping […]

Literally Millions of Failing, Abandoned Wells

March 29, 2019/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

By Kyle Ferrar, Western Program Coordinator, FracTracker Alliance In California’s Central Valley and along the South Coast, there are many communities littered with abandoned oil and gas wells, buried underground. Many have had homes, buildings, or public parks built over top of them. Some of them were never plugged, and many of those that were […]

California’s Oil Fields Add Fuel to the Fire

December 4, 2018/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Never has the saying “adding fuel to the fire” been so literal. California wildfires have been growing at unheard of rates over the last five years, causing record breaking destruction and loss of life. Now that we’ve had a little rain and perhaps a reprieve from this nightmare wildfire season, it is important to consider the factors […]

The Feds Trump California’s State Ban on Offshore Oil Drilling

November 5, 2018/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Offshore drilling in the United States federal waters has caused the most environmentally destructive disasters in North America. Yet, new policy is pushing for the expansion of offshore drilling, particularly off the coast of California. Offshore Drilling History In 1969, Union Oil’s offshore rig Platform A had a blowout that leaked 100,000 barrels into the Santa Barbara Channel, […]

Governor Brown’s Climate Summit Heats up Political Climate

September 14, 2018/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Overview California has become a battleground for real climate action. The state Governor, Jerry Brown prides himself in his own climate leadership, and California has pushed EU nations and countries worldwide to take climate change seriously. As a final tribute to his own tenure as a term-limited governor, Brown has organized and hosted a Global […]

Missouri’s clean energy is behind in the game, but at least they’re trying

August 22, 2018/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

Talking about fracking all day, every day, can be a bit of a downer. Here at FracTracker, we find hope in the advances of clean energy across the country and around the world. This time around, let’s see how Missouri’s clean energy sector is fairing. Long story short – while it seems their clean energy […]

Arvin, CA Setback Ordinance Passes Unanimously!

August 15, 2018/by Kyle Ferrar, MPH

The small city of Arvin, CA has succeeded in taking a brave step forward to protect the public health of its community. On July 17, 2018 the Arvin City Council voted 3-0 (two members were absent) in support of a setback ordinance. This is the first California oil and gas ordinance that has an actual […]