On May 27, 2016, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”) jointly released a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (“PEA”) for well stimulation treatment activities at operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”) of offshore California. The agencies identified and studied the environmental impacts of 43 lease areas … Continue Reading
On January 29, 2016, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”), agencies within the federal Department of the Interior (“DOI”), agreed to put a temporary moratorium on issuance of fracking permits in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf until environmental review is conducted. The temporary moratorium is … Continue Reading
Yesterday, Senate Bill 1132 failed in the Senate. In a 18-16 vote, SB 1132 fell three votes short of the necessary majority. The bill was introduced by Senators Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and Mark Leno on February 20, 2014, as reported here. Through amendments to Public Resources Code (“PRC”) §§ 3157, 3160, 3161, the bill … Continue Reading
This past Tuesday, May 20, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve a permanent moratorium on oil and gas exploration and development. Santa Cruz becomes the first county in the state of California to approve such a moratorium, which includes a ban on hydraulic fracturing. The permanent moratorium in Santa Cruz … Continue Reading
This past Tuesday, the Carson City Council voted against a local moratorium on new oil and gas activity within its city limits. Last month, Carson passed a 45-day ban on all oil and gas operations, as reported in our March 20, 2014 post. The City Council could have continued the ban for up to two … Continue Reading
As reported in our April 11, 2014 post, SB 1132 – the bill that seeks a moratorium on well stimulation during oil and gas development, thereby rescinding portions of SB 4, which was enacted just a few months ago – passed its first major hurdle when it achieved a 5-2 vote out of the Senate … Continue Reading
Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and other supporters of SB 1132 cleared their first major hurdle in their renewed effort to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and other forms of well stimulation treatment in the state of California. On April 8, the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee voted to move the measure along, … Continue Reading
SB 4 did not place a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing or other well stimulation treatments. SB 4 specifically states that so long as an operator complies with the notification and documentation requirements added to the Public Resources Code, the Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (“DOGGR”) shall allow well stimulation activities … Continue Reading
The City Council of Carson, California has unanimously (by 5-0 vote) approved a moratorium on all new oil and gas drilling within its city limits. The moratorium is set to last 45 days for now, and the City Council will consider a one-year ban on any new drilling after those 45 days are up. The reasoning … Continue Reading
It was only a matter of time before a city banned hydraulic fracturing in California – a “home rule” state, where cities and localities are permitted by constitutional amendment to enact and enforce their own zoning laws as they see fit, so long as those laws stay within the bounds of state and federal constitutions. … Continue Reading
