Environmental Organizations Sue California County for Establishing New Oil and Gas Well Permitting Process Through Zoning Ordinance Amendment

On December 10, 2015, a group of environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against the Kern County Board of Supervisors in California challenging the County’s Zoning Ordinance providing new site development standards for future oil and gas activities.
 

In 2013, the Kern County Board of Supervisors received an application from California Independent Petroleum Association, the Independent Oil Producers Association, and the Western States Petroleum Association to amend Title 19 of the Zoning Ordinance relating to Oil and Gas Production. The industry associations proposed to modify the permitting process for oil and gas wells in the Kern County. The Board of Supervisors approved the amended provisions on November 9, 2015, which become effective on December 9, 2015.

In a Press Release, the environmental organizations contended that “[t]he new county ordinance, sponsored by the oil industry . . . purports to allow county officials to fast-track permits for oil and gas activities without environmental review or public notice for a minimum of 20 years.”

 

The Press Release is available at:

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/oil-and-gas-12-10-2015.html

More information on the amendment of the Kern County Zoning Ordinance is available at:

http://pcd.kerndsa.com/oil-gas-zoning-amendment

Written by Chloe Marie, Research Fellow
12/15/2015