On March 22, 2024 Governor Gavin Newsom spoke at a press conference with the Inglewood Oil Field of Culver City in the background. He said, “The climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis. Period. Full stop,” in his remarks defending the 3,200 foot setback law.
Innocents living in sacrifice zones should not have to be subjected to the toxins created by oil and gas wells
March 22, 2024
By Ramona Cornell du Houx
Across the state, industrial oil operations take place just feet from homes, schools and hospitals, increasing community risks of asthma, preterm birth, cancer and premature death. Too many community members living near oil and gas wells are chronically ill, and too many have lost their lives due to the toxins they have to breathe daily. Almost three million people live within 3,200 feet of an operational oil well in California.
A study from Harvard University, in collaboration with three English universities, found that one in five premature deaths globally can be attributed to fossil fuel air pollution. According to this research, 34,000 people in California died in 2018 from fossil fuel air pollution prematurely.
That’s why it was a millstone to have Senate Bill (SB) 1137, become law. This groundbreaking law banned new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals and prisons. It was destined to improve the quality of life for millions living and working near oil and gas wells. But last year the California Independent Petroleum Association collected enough petition signatures to put that law on the ballot as a referendum this November.
Nalleli Cobo grew up near an oil well in Los Angelesand start ed experiencing nosebleeds, heart palpitations and headaches as a child. She was diagnosed with reproductive cancer at age 19. As an environmental activist she has since worked to fight against the health impacts of the oil industry and wants voters to keep the law limiting the location of new oil and gas wells.
“The oil industry has no place in our backyards, in our democracy or in our future,” said Cobo .
Those who suffer from illness related to fossil fuel operations the most live in environmental justice communities, known as sacrifice zones.
“People have lost their lives prematurely because they were raised within a zip code that has oil or gas wells. It’s outrageous that the fifth largest economy in the world still has these sacrifice zones. People’s lives should always come before corporate profits,” said Christian Brock, CEO of Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA), Air Force Veteran. “We will continue to fight for these safety setbacks, as we work towards a 100 percent clean energy economy.”
Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) California has been fighting for these communities since 2017. EOPA California gathered 488 signatures from elected officials from 49 counties across the state to create safety setback zones, amongst other measures on the road to a 100 percent clean energy economy.
As Culver City’s Mayor, and previously City Councilwoman, Meghan Sahli-Wells was successful in helping enact a law that stopped all new drilling and phases out existing drilling over the next five years in the Inglewood Oil Field in Culver City while ensuring a just transition for workers. She knows what living next to oil and gas wells can do to families and workers.
“Communities fought hard to put an end to the insane practice of oil drilling next to kindergartens, homes and churches. As a result, the Governor and the legislature passed a scientific 3,200 foot health and safety setback law, but Big Oil and Gas spent over $20 million to undermine the people of California with a referendum. These fossil fuel giants want to keep poisoning us where we learn, play, live and worship to ensure their profit margins. We may not have their money, but we do have our voices and our votes to show these corporations that their polluting practices do not belong in our neighborhoods,” said Meghan Sahli-Wells, former Culver City Mayor, EOPA California Director.
According to records, oil companies funneled over $20 million to Stop the Energy Shutdown. But the oil industry appears to have gathered its signatures under false pretense. The Secretary of State’s office received numerous voter fraud complaints showing signature gatherers claimed that signing the petition would lower gas prices.
“The oil and gas industry has combated every form of setback proposal in California over generations. This time they managed to get a referendum on a law that was passed with the support of the governor, legislature, and millions of Californians. Too many people living in frontline communities are exposed daily to the oil industry’s life-threatening pollution from drilling. The 3,200 ft safety health buffer zone around oil and gas wells was a major step to ensure frontline communities were protected from oil and gas drilling. It needs to stand as law,” said Heidi Harmon, former mayor of San Luis Obispo, EOPA California Leadership Council
For decades environmental justice communities across California have been fighting for the relief this law was destined to bring to them to improve their basic right: to breathe fresh air. These communities have been forced to live and work breathing toxic fumes, and endure spills, and leaks from neighboring oil wells.
“Air pollution knows no boundaries. I know about the dangers of breathing in the toxins from oil wells. Too many from our community live, work, or go to school within 3,200 feet of an oil and gas well. The drilling releases a toxic soup of chemicals and tiny particles, which gets into our lungs and sticks there. Scientific studies show a direct link between drilling and a long list of health problems, from chronic asthma and cancers to preterm births,” said Felipe Perez, Firebaugh Mayor, Fresno County, EOPA California Leadership Council. “Children and their families are needlessly suffering because the oil and gas corporations were successful gathering their signatures for a referendum against the 3,200-safety health buffer zone, that was the law. It’s outrageous. It is our moral obligation to fight for these frontline communities and ensure the law remains on the books.”
California is one of the last oil producing states in the nation to allow oil drilling in neighborhoods. The state’s own independent scientific analysis of oil production found that proximity to oil production sites increases exposure to toxic chemicals and recommended science-based setbacks separating oil wells from sensitive land uses to protect public health.
“The lives of our children and their families, healthcare workers, teachers, community leaders, literally everyone in environmental justice communities who live or work within 3,200 oil or gas well will continue to be at risk from the toxic pollution these fossil fuel operations pose every day if this referendum passes in November, “said Alex Walker Griffin, Hercules Mayor, Elected Officials to Protect America – California Leadership Council Chair. “The climate crisis has been fueled by the oil and gas industry that rakes in billions, while the health of millions are put at risk. From fires, droughts, heatwaves to torrential rains and seas rising our state is on the frontlines of the crisis. The very least these fossil fuel companies can do is to abide by the 3,200 feet health and safety buffer setback zone law. They should do so much more.”
The eight funders of the referendum campaign each spent over a million dollars to get the measure on the ballot. They are responsible for drilling within the authorized 3,200 foot setback zone putting residents at great health risk:
- Sentinel Peak Resources: $4,500,000 with 1,475 wells within the setback zone
- Signal Hill Petroleum: $3,200,000 with 481 wells within the setback zone
- E & B Natural Resources Management Corp: $2,950,000.00 with 1,230 wells within the setback zone
- Vaquero Energy Inc: $1,800,000 with 472 wells within the setback zone
- Crimson Resource Management Corp: $1,587,000 with 253 wells within the setback zone
- Macpherson Oil Company LLC: $1,486,000 with 227 wells within the setback zone
- Holmes Western Oil Corp: $1,000,000 with 1 well within the setback zone
- California Independent Petroleum Association: $1,000,000; industry trade association without active wells
Below is the ad that came out about the referendum on March 26, 2024