SACRAMENTO, California., 16 August 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A major bill that would hold oil drilling companies accountable for their pollution has been California Senate Committee on Appropriations and continues to the California Senate to vote.

“California is one step closer to closing oil wells that endanger communities and cleaning up oil well pollution,” said Jamie DishPresident of Consumer Watchdog. “These landmark bills protect communities by prioritizing the closure of idle oil wells, encouraging the closure of low-producing oil wells, and protecting local laws limiting oil drilling from legal challenges. This Make Polluters Pay package of legislation will protect people from the health impacts of oil drilling in communities.”

AB 2716 (Bryan), the Low Producing Well Accountability Act, requires oil wells in the Inglewood Oil Field that produce less than 15 barrels of oil per day, 10,000 US dollars per month. The oil field is the largest urban oil field in America. The bill was amended by the author, Representative Isaac Bryanafter an agreement was reached between the author and drilling companies to withdraw a referendum banning new drilling permits within a half-mile of a community. The ban is now in effect.

AB 1866 (Hart), the Abandoned Oil Well Cleanup Act, prioritizes the cleanup of abandoned oil wells to facilitate well plugging and protect communities.

AB 3233 (Addis), the Local Environmental Choice And Safety Act, protects local laws restricting drilling from statewide preemption arguments.

“California is now nearing the end of its oil drilling and is taking the appropriate steps to ensure that the oil drilling companies that have exploited our resources for profit also bear responsibility for cleaning up the mess they have created,” Court said.

SOURCE Consumer Protection