The oil industry has withdrawn its $40 million campaign against a California law protecting communities from oil drilling, but may challenge the measure in court.
Liza Gross reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- California’s Senate Bill 1137, signed in 2022, bans new oil wells within 3,200 feet of sensitive sites like homes and schools and tightens oversight of existing wells.
- Research has shown that Black and Latino and low-income Californians are most likely to be living near oil and gas wells.
- The oil industry spent over $60 million on lobbying and campaigning to overturn the law, but withdrew their referendum efforts after facing strong opposition from communities.
- Grassroots activists and legislators remain vigilant as the oil industry might pursue legal challenges against the law, arguing violations of private property laws.
Key quote:
“I think the fossil fuel industry saw that power, the power of that organizing and that momentum. And I think they knew it was a losing battle.”
— Luis Martinez, campaigns organizer with the nonprofit Fossil Free California.
Why this matters:
Neighborhood oil drilling exposes residents, especially in low-income and minority communities, to harmful chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory issues. This law, a cornerstone of California's aggressive environmental policies, seeks to create safer distances between oil drilling sites and residential areas, schools and other sensitive locations. For many Californians, especially those in lower-income and predominantly minority neighborhoods, this is a long-awaited step towards reducing health risks such as respiratory problems and other pollution-related ailments.
