By Katie Davis
Step Forward on Setbacks
Given the undue influence of oil lobbyists in Sacramento and their insistence on being able to drill right next to people’s houses, it was gratifying to see AB345, a bill calling for setbacks from homes, schools, and hospitals making some forward progress with passage in the Assembly (although it got stopped in the Senate). Research proves that living near oil wells makes people sick and causes premature births. Anyone who has smelled the nauseating fumes near a drill site could tell you it’s unhealthy.
Not waiting for the state, the new Ventura General Plan update to be voted on by the Board of Supervisors in September includes oil well setbacks of 1,500 feet from homes and 2,500 feet from schools. It also specifies that pipelines must be used to transport oil and wastewater off site -- not trucks, which are the least safe way to transport oil. It also prohibits flaring and venting of gas, except for emergencies. Plus, it calls for more climate action, including a building code that moves us off gas and toward healthier, more affordable and efficient, electric homes and buildings. Folks in Ventura County can email before September 1 with the subject “General Plan update comment” to ask the Board to make it a uniform 2,500 oil setback and applaud the positive progress: clerkoftheboard@ventura.org
Exxon Drags On
SB County should take note of Ventura’s pending ban on oil trucking as it considers ExxonMobil’s proposal to expand oil trucking along accident prone sections of the 101 and 166. Exxon’s offshore oil production on the Gaviota coast has been shut down since the Plains pipeline spill in 2015 that killed hundreds of animals and coated beaches from Goleta down to Orange county with oil. Without a pipeline, it is proposing to restart offshore oil production and then truck the oil via 70 tankers a day, endangering all of us who drive those roads. Dozens of environmental and community organizations, businesses, coastal cities, and the Goleta school board are on record opposing the plan. A poll found 3 out of 4 Santa Barbara county residents concerned about it, and there have been large protests at every one of the hearings on this project. Exxon’s strategy is to claim that the county and local schools are reliant on oil revenue. This is a lie. Oil revenue was a fraction of 1% of county revenue back in 2014 when Exxon was at full production. Even with Exxon’s shutdown, property taxes to schools are up. For instance, Santa Ynez High school, which they claim has been most affected, has had a 14% increase in property tax revenue since the shutdown, not a decrease. Oil revenues are paltry compared to contributions of all other property and business taxpayers. They are also dwarfed by cleanup costs and economic hit from spills. For instance, the state of CA budgeted $100 million of taxpayer money for decommissioning after Venoco's bankruptcy. It’s typical. We pay to clean up oil’s messes. Exxon’s project is unhealthy, dangerous, bad for the climate, and costly. Take a moment to add your opposition here: https://tinyurl.com/NoOilTrucks
Crimson Cash
In 2016, a Crimson oil pipeline valve failed, leaking at least 44,000 gallons of oil down Ventura’s Hall Canyon, flowing amongst homes and near the high school. An early morning resident taking a walk alerted officials, and it was stopped before it could reach the ocean. The DA’s office filed suit on the “Grove Incident” and won a civil settlement on July 21 for $1.3 million and an additional $300,000 against its contractor CD Lyon Construction. That’s $36 bucks per gallon because a worker neglected to tighten the valve! However, a homeowners’ lawsuit is still pending seeking $16 million. Remnants of the oil remain along the gorge, estimated to be 6,000-14,000 gallons. Crimson has been responsible for 11 spills in the state since 2006, including a 280,000 gallon leak also in Ventura in 2008, according to the LA Times. “The public should know that when an oil spill happens in California, we will hold those responsible accountable and require a thorough and rapid cleanup and restoration,” said Thomas Cullen of the state’s Fish & Wildlife office.
Appropriate Appropriations
Not only do majorities of Americans oppose offshore oil drilling, so does the California congressional delegation. A letter dated July 2 was signed by 31 members opposes drilling off the coast of CA. Our own Rep. Salud Carbajal helped get a provision in the Interior’s appropriations bill for the 2021 fiscal year prohibiting the use of funds for any new offshore leases. It is also a win of sorts that the Trump administration is delaying their new offshore oil lease plan until after the November election due to its unpopularity. Be sure to register to vote!
https://registertovote.ca.gov