California’s Geologic Energy Management Division is in the midst of finalizing regulations to ban fracking across the state, which will officially go into effect on October 1.
The department submitted its rule-making package for the ban to the state’s Office of Administrative Law on July 15, where it will be given a final review. It’s the last step needed to formalize the regulation, which would prohibit CalGEM from issuing fracking permits for oil and gas wells.
“This regulatory proposal aims to protect life; property; public health and safety; and environmental quality, including mitigating greenhouse emissions associated with the development of hydrocarbon resources,” said CalGEM in an emailed statement to CapRadio.
Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is a process where water, chemicals and sand are injected into oil and gas wells at a high pressure to increase production. It’s long received criticism from environmental groups because of the pollutants emitted during the process.
“There's a tremendous amount of air pollution, water pollution, health harm that comes along with fracking,” said Kassie Siegel, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute.
Governor Gavin Newsom launched the regulatory action needed to phase out fracking permits in 2021. But although the ban has not officially gone into effect, California has not approved any fracking permits after that year.
Kyle Ferrar, the Western Program Director with FracTracker Alliance, has worked on this issue for years. His organization investigates extraction-related health hazards. He said when CalGEM has rejected fracking permits in the last two years, they’ve cited concerns similar to those brought up by groups like his own.
“They have been denying fracking permits on the basis of unjustifiable exposure risks and impacts to the climate from greenhouse gasses, as well as [on] local communities,” Ferrar said.
Once the ban is officially in place, California will join other states like Maryland and New York in ending fracking. Siegel described it as a big step toward protecting Californians from well-related pollution, but there’s more work ahead.
“It is more important than ever to have good, strong protections for our air, water and climate to minimize the damage that this deadly industry does on its way out the door,” she said.
She said the next priority for many advocates like herself is addressing the existing idle and low-producing wells throughout the state that also pose health hazards to neighboring communities.
That includes the implementation of a law requiring a 3,200-foot setback between oil and gas wells and community areas. It was passed two years ago, but was put on hold after oil and gas industry leaders called for a referendum. Recently, that referendum was taken off the ballot, and Siegel said she’s looking forward to seeing it instated in California.
“The Newsom Administration has made historic, tremendous strides in protecting California from oil and gas pollution,” Siegel said. “California's Health buffer law, which is now back in effect, and this fracking ban — those are two shining examples of that progress.”
She said her organization is also monitoring the implementation of the Orphan Well Prevention Act. The law, which went into effect this year, requires companies interested in purchasing idle or low-producing oil wells to have money set aside to sufficiently cover the costs of plugging, abandoning and restoring the site of the well. But Siegel said she and other environmental advocates have seen lacking enforcement of the law and will be advocating for its use.
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