Consumer Watchdog Praises Governor Oil Setback Rule, Says More Needs To Be Done To Phase Out Oil Drilling In California
Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog today called Governor Newsom’s draft rule creating a first-of-its-kind 3200-foot setback between oil wells and communities a “historic moment for California and the nation, but one that needs to followed with immediate denial of oil and gas permits as part of a full phase out plan for drilling in this state no later than 2030.”
CA Dangerously Close To Approving 10,000 Oil Drilling Permits since Newsom Assumed Office; Groups Demand Gov. Deliver On Putting Oil Drilling Into Rear View Mirror
Los Angeles, CA — Governor Newsom’s oil regulators have approved 9,728 oil drilling permits since he assumed office in 2019, according to a new analysis of permits approved through October 1, 2021and posted at www.NewsomWellWatch.org by Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance. The groups said Newsom should immediately cease approval of more oil permits to avoid hitting the 10,000 mark.
KNX 1070 AM LA: Calls Grow To End Oil Drilling In California
By Staff Reporters, KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA
October 6, 2021
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Liza Tucker with Consumer Watchdog calls for an end to approval of any oil drilling permits in California.
Column: Nobody Could Have Been Surprised By This Spill. Now Here’s What Has To Happen
By Steve Lopez, LOS ANGELES TIMES
October 5, 2021
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-05/steve-lopez-column-…
The people who devote themselves to protecting the California coast have been saying it for years:
Gavin Newsom Slammed For Issuing 138 Oil Permits As California Cleanup Continues
By Brendan Cole, NEWSWEEK
October 5, 2021
https://www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom-slammed-issuing-138-oil-permits-c…
Energy industry watchdogs have called on California governor Gavin Newsom to stop issuing oil permits in state waters, as the cleanup from a spill in the south of the state continues.
California’s Massive Offshore Oil Spill: What We Know
By Heather Richards, E&E NEWS ENERGY WIRE
October 5, 2021
https://www.eenews.net/articles/californias-massive-offshore-oil-spill-…
Officials are looking into whether a ship anchor ruptured a pipeline off the coast of California, causing the major bleed of crude oil this weekend that’s ignited calls to end the Golden State’s already declining offshore oil industry.
Governor Newsom Must End Oil Permits In State Waters And Order 2,500-Foot Barrier Between Communities And Oil Drilling, Consumer Watchdog And FracTracker Alliance Say
Los Angeles, CA — While an oil spill in federal waters damages Southern California beaches, wildlife and habitat, oil regulators under Gov. Gavin Newsom have issued 138 oil permits for operations in state waters since he assumed office and are 278 days late in delivering Newsom a rule setting a barrier between oil operations and vulnerable communities, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance said today.
KGO AM San Francisco, CA: Consumer Watchdog Calls On Newsom To End Oil Drilling
By Chip Franklin (Host), KGO AM San Francisco, CA
October 4, 2021
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Consumer Watchdog's Liza Tucker talks with Chip about what Governor Newsom must do to stop any future oil spills in and off the coast of California.
Huntington Beach Oil Spill: Local Elected Leaders Renew Calls For Ban Of Offshore Drilling
By City News Service, KCBS/KCAL TV Los Angeles, CA
October 4, 2021
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/10/04/huntington-beach-oil-spill-l…
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, ramped up his calls Monday to ban offshore drilling in light of the oil spill in Huntington Beach.
Activists Call For California To Take Action After Oil Spill
By Bridgette Bjolo and Jose Fabian, FOX TV-40 Sacramento, CA
October 4, 2021
https://fox40.com/news/california-connection/activists-call-for-califor…
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — Environmentalists are sounding the alarm after a massive oil spill occurred off the coast of Orange County.
Activists said the incident could have been prevented if proper oil drilling regulations had been in place.
Newsom Administration Doubles New Oil And Gas Production Well Permits, Misses Deadline for Drilling Setback Rule
Los Angeles, CA — California oil regulators more than doubled the dispensing of permits in 2020 to drill new oil and gas production wells, issuing more than 1,700 in 2020, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance reported today.
At the same time, the Newsom Administration failed to meet its own New Year’s Eve deadline for a draft rule designating the safe distance for drilling from a community, giving itself until Spring. Public interest groups who have pushed for a 2,500-foot setback are troubled by the delay. States such as Colorado have instituted setbacks of 2,000 feet.
Permission Slips
By Debra Kahn, Politico California Pro Newsletter
January 19, 2021
Gov. Newsom Pledges to Ban Fracking in California – Then Greenlights More of It
The Newsom administration has established a pattern of approving permits during busy news cycles.
By Steve Horn, CAPITAL & MAIN
October 23, 2020
https://capitalandmain.com/gov-newsom-pledges-to-ban-fracking-californi…
Newsom Administration Issues Six More Fracking Permits To Aera Energy Consumer Watchdog Says
Los Angeles, CA — The Newsom Administration issued six more fracking permits to Aera Energy late on Friday afternoon at a time of great risk to the environment and to the public health of affected communities also exposed to Covid 19, Consumer Watchdog said today.
The number of fracking permits issued this year—despite a nine-month moratorium imposed by Newsom that ended last April—now comes to 54 issued to Aera and Chevron.
Two Advocacy Groups Challenge California Oil Regulator To Correct The Record On True Oil Drilling Permit Numbers
Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog and the FracTracker Alliance challenged the state’s Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk “to be honest with the public about the data” on oil drilling in the state. They stated his refusal to acknowledge data published by the Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) “sullies CalGEM and reflects poorly on an Administration that claims desperately to want to stem the cruel tide of climate change.”
Permits To Drill New Oil And Gas Wells Zoom Up 190% In The First Six Months Of 2020 Under Gov. Newsom Worrisome Trend
Los Angeles, CA — As COVID-19 cases shattered California daily records in the second quarter of 2020, oil regulators under Gov. Newsom also shattered records for dispensing new oil and gas production well drilling permits, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance said today.
WELL, WELL, WELL
By Colby Bermel, POLITICO PRO CALIFORNIA
September 2, 2020
WELL, WELL, WELL: New oil and gas production drilling permit approvals are up 190 percent in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, according to a Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance report provided to POLITICO.
Consumer Group Fears California’s Recycling Network Is In Danger Of Collapse
By Kevin Smith, SAN BERNARDINO SUN
August 18, 2020
https://www.sbsun.com/2020/08/18/consumer-group-fears-californias-recyc…
California’s already hobbled recycling network will likely collapse unless supermarkets and other beverage retailers are forced to redeem empty bottles and cans, a consumer group says.
KNX 1070 AM LA: Consumer Watchdog Urges Newsom To Restart Bottle & Can Deposit Program
By KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA
August 18, 2020
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Consumer Watchdog's Jamie Court explains why Governor Newsom must restart California's bottle and can deposit recycling program.
CONSUMER WATCHDOG PENS LETTER TO NEWSOM
By Andrew Sheeler, SACRAMENTO BEE - CAPITOL ALERT
August 18, 2020
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article24…
California Gov. Gavin Newsom should not give retailers any further exemptions from their duty to refund bottle and can deposits, argues the nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog.
Consumer Watchdog Warns Newsom Continued Emergency Exemption Of Retailers From Recycling Will Eviscerate Bottle Deposit System
Los Angeles, CA— The nonprofit Consumer Watchdog called on Governor Gavin Newsom not to give retailers another exemption from their duty to refund bottle and can deposits, warning it could decimate the fragile deposit system.
CalGEM Regulators Divest Oil Stocks In Wake Of Consumer Watchdog Conflicts Probe
Los Angeles, CA — Oil and gas regulators at the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) no longer hold oil stocks or other interests in the sector that they regulate in a radical departure from past practices, Consumer Watchdog said today.
A new conflict of interest policy at the division’s parent agency, the Department of Conservation (DOC), now prohibits such investments without explicit written approval by DOC’s director.
California's Department of Conservation Rolls Out New Ethics Policy After Years Of Complaints
By Mark Olaide, PALM SPRINGS DESERT SUN
July 15, 2020
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2020/07/15/new-ethics-…
The California Department of Conservation, which has for years weathered accusations of a cozy relationship with the oil industry, has quietly introduced a new ethics policy that has drawn praise from advocates of good governance.
California Extends Recycling Waivers Over Virus Concerns
By Emily C. Dooley, BLOOMBERG LAW
June 23, 2020
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/california-extends…
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has extended a waiver by 60 days that allows grocery stores and other retailers to stop redeeming recyclable bottles and cans.
CA Governor Exempts Supermarkets From Bottle Deposit Refunds For Another 60 Days In Loss For Consumers And The Environment, Says Consumer Watchdog
Los Angeles, CA — Governor Gavin Newsom gave supermarkets and other dealers of beverages carrying a five or ten cent deposit another 60-day reprieve on refunding deposits, putting greater pressure on too few redemption centers to serve millions of Californians. California now joins Iowa’s Republican Governor as the only states letting the retailers off the hook for redeeming bottles.
Group Seeks To Toughen California Bonding For O&G
By Staff Writers, KALLANISH ENERGY
May 26, 2020
https://www.kallanishenergy.com/2020/05/26/group-seeks-to-toughen-calif…
A consumer group wants California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign an executive order to block oil companies from getting state approval for new wells without full bonding for their cleanup, Kallanish Energy reports.
That request was made last week by Consumer Watchdog.
Socialism For The Oil Companies: YOU End Up Paying Cleanup Costs On “Orphan Wells”
By Dan Bacher, RED GREEN & BLUE
May 21, 2020
http://redgreenandblue.org/2020/05/21/socialism-oil-companies-end-payin…
Consumer Watchdog called upon Governor Gavin Newsom to prevent oil companies from receiving approvals for new oil wells without first requiring full bonding for their clean-ups, according to a press release from the group today.
Consumer Group Urges Newsom: No New Wells Without Oil Co. Bonding For Permits
By Dan Bacher, INDYBAY MEDIA SF
May 20, 2020
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/20/18833152.php
“Given the state’s grave deficit, it’s imperative that no new wells be approved without full bonding for their clean-up and a requirement to plug a certain number of idle wells in exchange for a new permit,” the letter said.
No New Wells Without Oil Company Bonding For Permits, Says Consumer Watchdog
Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog called upon Governor Gavin Newsom to prevent oil companies from receiving approvals for new oil wells without first requiring full bonding for their clean-up.
Fracking's Back In California
As if California has not had enough bad news, fracking is now back.
The newly-named Cal-GEM or California Geologic Energy Management Division, late Friday and under the cover of the Covid-19 crisis, approved two dozen fracking permits, the first since Governor Newsom froze all fracking in the state last summer.
