Environmental Briefs: Oil And Gas Drilling Ordinance Info and ruling Ends Neighborhood Oil and Gas Drilling

Learn About the Proposed Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance

Los Angeles City Planning released a draft ordinance that would prohibit new oil and gas extraction, phase out existing extraction operations, and protect the public from the range of risks and hazards associated with oil and gas extraction.

In the coming months, city planning will facilitate public meetings with local stakeholders. Feedback collected at these hearings will inform the final ordinance that the department will advance to Los Angeles’s City Planning Commission for a formal recommendation. A fact sheet containing frequently asked questions is available here. 

Details: https://tinyurl.com/2p8w2ent and https://tinyurl.com/LA-ordinance

State Legislature Passes Ruling To End Neighborhood Oil and Gas Drilling

SACRAMENTO — Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and community advocates celebrated the passage of SB 1137 in the State Legislature on Aug. 31. SB 1137 would require health and safety buffer zones of 3,200 ft between new and reworked oil wells and sensitive receptors such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes, and strengthen protections for people living near existing oil wells. Over 2.7 million Californians live within 3,200 feet of an operational oil or gas well and over 90% of these homes are people of color. The legislation is the result of years of on-the-ground advocacy by community groups who have fought for setbacks to protect the health of Californians and marks a significant milestone in achieving environmental justice for pollution burdened communities.