On December 6, 2023 we joined our allies in participating in the Ventura County Toxic Tour. We took local officials and the head regulators of oil and gas in California to tour oil drilling infrastructure sites around the county. Among the list of attendees were Ventura County Public Health advisors, The Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) leadership, Doug Ito the State Oil and Gas Supervisor Geologic Energy Management Division, David Shabazian the Director of the Department of Conservation, and our allies CFROG, Food & Water Watch, Sierra Club, CAUSE, and Last Chance Alliance.
A major talking point of the tour was how the oil industry spent millions in this region to undermine local communities’ health, access to public land and pushed ballot measures such as “A” and “B” to keep the oil and gas industry unchanged. Per election findings, the oil industry raised over $8 million and spent over $6 million in the “No on A and B” campaign. The majority of oil and gas drilling in Ventura County relies on “antiquated” conditional use permits approved by the county before CEQA was established in the 1970s. These permits have no expiration date, no limit to the number of wells, and no modern environmental review before new expansion. As a result, oil and gas infrastructure is allowed to continue producing next to homes and schools posing dangerous health consequences.
Ventura County Public Health Advisor and ForestWatch teamed up to speak at the CalNRG site and shared there are more than 8,000 Ventura County residents who live within 2,500 feet of an oil well and approximately 60% of those residents are Latino. The disproportionate impact of oil and gas extraction on communities of color is happening all across California. CalGEM’s scientific advisory board recommends that 3,200 feet is the minimum safe distance between neighborhoods and drilling. Many studies have confirmed that being near pollutants associated with oil and gas is linked to an increased risk of numerous diseases and ailments including respiratory diseases, cancer, and even severe complications from COVID-19. One of the guest speakers was Guadalupe who shared her experience living next to the ABA Energy site and the health implications her children have suffered as a result. Her youngest child was diagnosed with respiratory defects at 18 months old which are linked to living next to the oil and gas industries. Her heartbreaking story is just one of many individuals who cannot afford to relocate to a safer community and continue to suffer because of major polluters in the area.
ForestWatch spoke at the Aera Energy site in Ventura located next to a public bike path. We highlighted the importance of protecting public access and open space. Large oil companies like Aera can cover the full costs of cleaning up idle wells, preventing the burden from falling on taxpayers. Full cleanup of idle and orphan wells in the county would not only address environmental concerns but also generate approximately 2,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs. We reminded CalGEM of its mandate to protect the health and safety of California communities from the oil industry. The state must take action to protect all Californians, including those in Ventura County, where the entrenched history of oil and gas production has left us with many regulatory gaps threatening our safety and health.
CalGem Supervisor Doug Ito shared some closing remarks at the end of the tour where he shared how valuable it is for state leadership to hear community stories so they can better do their job. Supervisor Ito stated several times although he is fairly new to the position, he can assure us CalGem is moving in the right direction away from oil and gas into decommissioning.
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