Governor Newsom Stands Up To Huge Oil

SACRAMENTO — In a robust transfer to carry oil corporations chargeable for the financial and public well being risks of oil wells left idle and unplugged, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1167, the “Orphan Nicely Prevention Act,” into legislation. This invoice, authored by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, will make sure that the state receives a bond masking the complete value of web site cleanup when an idle or marginally producing oil effectively is bought.

An rising variety of wells on the finish of their life are being “orphaned,” that means they’ve been left and not using a accountable proprietor or accessible funds to correctly plug them. These unplugged wells can leak hazardous air pollution and methane, generally at explosive ranges. Dozens of idle wells have not too long ago been discovered leaking in Bakersfield, Kern County, and Los Angeles neighborhoods, polluting folks’s properties, colleges, and neighborhood facilities. Whereas AB 1167 can not mend the injury finished by already-orphaned wells, it’s going to shield communities and California taxpayers by making certain funds can be found to wash up the almost 70,000 idle and low-producing California wells vulnerable to being orphaned.

The next is an announcement from Ann Alexander, a senior lawyer with NRDC (Pure Assets Protection Council): 

“By signing AB 1167, Governor Newsom has catapulted California right into a place of management on the rising nationwide disaster of orphan wells, and made good on his persevering with dedication to carry the oil business accountable.

“Lastly, communities and taxpayers in California have a measure of safety from the efforts of the oil business to run away from its obligation to wash up after itself. It’s a enormous and essential first step in getting our arms across the monumental orphan effectively problem we face, as we transfer ahead towards a clear vitality future.”

Republished from NRDC.

NRDC  (Pure Assets Protection Council) is a global nonprofit environmental group with greater than 3 million members and on-line activists. Established in 1970, NRDC makes use of science, coverage, legislation, and folks energy to confront the local weather disaster, shield public well being, and safeguard nature. NRDC has places of work in New York Metropolis, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, Beijing and Delhi (an workplace of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).