Environmental group welcomes historic victory and calls for further action to dismantle California’s dangerous oil and gas industry

June 27, 2024

Last night, the California Independent Petroleum Association, a trade group representing major oil companies, withdrew a ballot proposal opposing California’s historic law banning oil drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools and businesses.

Director of Food & Water Watch California, Chirag Bhakta released the following statement:

“This proves once again that Californians do not want dangerous and environmentally damaging oil rigs in their backyards, near their children’s schools and playgrounds, or near hospitals. We will not sacrifice our communities anymore.

“This victory is thanks to the efforts of so many, especially the frontline communities who bear the brunt of the oil industry’s pollution and who have been fighting for years to get dirty oil production out of their backyards.

“Despite claims that they are ‘confident’ the ballot bill will pass, CIPA’s appeal to court suggests that industry is fearful of the power of a robust public mandate against oil drilling. What is clear is that we will confront them in every forum.

“While this is a moment to celebrate the power of people coming together to fight the oil industry, we must continue to ban toxic oil drilling from neighborhoods, as well as all fossil fuel infrastructure, which also poses enormous public health risks and pollutes our water and air. For example, Governor Newsom must immediately shut down the dangerous Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, which was the site of the largest methane outbreak in U.S. history nearly a decade ago and poses an ongoing threat to local residents.”