Rep. Barragán Asks CA to Revise Rules to Establish 3,200-foot buffer between Oil & Gas Extraction and Homes

SAN PEDRO — Congresswoman Nanette Díaz Barragán Dec. 20, urged the California Geologic Energy Management Division to revise its draft rule on oil and gas production in residential neighborhoods to include existing wells in the proposed 3,200-foot buffer and to end all permits for extraction until the rule goes into effect.

In a letter to California Geologic Energy Management Division or CalGEM Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak Joe-Ntuk, Congresswoman Barragán wrote: “While the Draft Rule would prevent drilling of new oil and gas production sites within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, health centers, and other sensitive sites within California, it falls short of protecting frontline communities who presently live, study, and work near existing fossil fuel wells.”

In the letter, Barragán pointed out the connection between increased risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases and proximity of oil and gas wells.

In August, Barragán led U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan on a tour of her district to point out environmental justice issues and highlighted the proximity of working oil wells to homes, schools and playgrounds in Wilmington.

“The environmental racism impacting Wilmington is tragically all too common throughout California, where oil and gas wells are predominantly located within communities of color,” Barragán wrote in her letter to Joe-Ntuk.

“I strongly urge CalGEM to consider the health and safety of our communities by revising the Draft Rule to establish a 3,200-foot setback distance between all new and existing oil and gas extraction sites, and to end all permitting for fossil fuel extraction within the 3,200-foot setback zone until the rule goes into effect,” she concluded in her letter.

Details: www.barragan.house.gov/wp-CalGEM-Oil-Gas-Production-Draft-Rule.pdf