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A Decade of Deception Exposed: New Report on Big Oil’s Front Groups in California
November 19, 2024 – SACRAMENTO, CA – A new exposé reveals how the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the oil industry’s most powerful lobbying group in California, has […] READ MORE →
Most Of CA’s New Drilling Permit Approvals In 3rd Quarter 2024 Are For Extreme Extraction Techniques
November 11, 2024 –
Read more.
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Big Oil Shatters Spending Records in California: $31.4 Million in 2024 with One Quarter to Go
November 5, 2024 – Aiming to fend off polluter accountability and anti-price gouging measures, the oil industry has now spent $56.8 million in the 2023-2024 legislative session so […] READ MORE →
A Decade of Deception: WSPA’s Web Leaked Front Groups
November 1, 2024 – The groups have spent tens of millions on influence activities and advertising A decade ago, the anti-fracking movement expanded across California communities as advocates […] READ MORE →
Kern County Approves California’s First Carbon Capture Project Amid Public Outcry
October 23, 2024 – BAKERSFIELD, CA — In a decision that climate advocates and local residents say will undermine California’s hard-fought climate progress, the Kern County Board of […] READ MORE →
Q2 Lobbying: Big Oil On Record Annual Spending Pace Fighting Polluter Accountability Bills
August 12, 2024 – Chevron represented 49% of industry’s $8.3M expenditure, as company landing permits in setbacks zone on day setbacks referendum pulled rises in ranks. Sacramento, […] READ MORE →
California Oil Regulator Refuses to Enforce New Climate Justice Laws, Groups Urge Governor Newsom to Step In
July 18, 2024 – SACRAMENTO, CA — In response to Californians’ growing demand for climate action, state lawmakers have recently passed some of the most robust laws in […] READ MORE →
California’s Historic Environmental Justice Law Is Restored: Advocates Celebrate No New Oil Drilling in Neighborhoods
July 2, 2024 – SACRAMENTO, CA – The state law to end new oil drilling in neighborhoods and install strict pollution controls at existing oil and gas sites […] READ MORE →
California Oil Regulator Issues 13 New Drilling Permits in Kern County, Breaking Nine-Month Streak of No Permits for New Oil Wells
June 5, 2024 – SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) issued at least 13 new drilling permits in May. Ten of these permits greenlight […] READ MORE →
Climate Victory: California Moves to Officially Ban Fracking!
March 27, 2024 – Advocates from Across the State Offer Public Support for Oil Regulator’s Proposed Rule SACRAMENTO, CA — After years of advocacy from climate groups and […] READ MORE →
California Groups Push Fossil Fuel Phaseout at COP28 as State Leadership Blasts Oil Industry Lies
December 13, 2023 – SACRAMENTO, CA — With world leaders returning home following the close of the UN Climate Change Conference COP28, California’s environmental justice and climate advocates […] READ MORE →
NEW: Unveiling the Animated Chronicle of Larry Saldaña: A Tale of Environmental Injustice and the Perils of Idle Oil Wells in California
October 10, 2023 – Advocates Highlight the Ticking Toxic Time Bomb of California’s Aging Oil Wells and Call on Governor Newsom to hold Fossil Fuel Executives Accountable for […] READ MORE →
Carbon Tracker: Statement on California’s Orphan Wells Law
September 27, 2023 – Statement from Rob Schuwerk, Executive Director, Carbon Tracker North America on California’s Orphan Wells Law: “Having returned from well-received speeches at New York Climate […] READ MORE →
Climate Justice Advocates Applaud California’s Historic Climate Leadership As Gov. Newsom Takes On Big Oil
September 18, 2023 – SACRAMENTO, Calif — California Governor Gavin Newsom has brought Big Oil’s deceit into sharp focus on the national stage with his commitment to hold […] READ MORE →
Pozos petroleros fugan gas metano en California – llame a Newsom hoy para demandar acción urgente!
July 18, 2023 – A principios de este año, Larry Saldana encontró en su granja orgánica en el condado de Kern charcos de petróleo en el suelo y […] READ MORE →
Oil wells are leaking across California — please call Gov. Newsom to demand urgent action!
– Earlier this year, Larry Saldana arrived home to his organic farm in Kern County to find puddles of oil on the ground and splashes […] READ MORE →
Oil & Gas Wells Spew Methane, Some at Explosive Levels, in Kern Communities
June 13, 2023 – Community members to go door-to-door to inform residents of risks as advocates push for stronger statewide regulations California environmental regulators discovered 27 […] READ MORE →
Pozos petroleros fugan gas metano en California – llame a Newsom hoy para demandar acción urgente!
June 8, 2023 – En una reunión con líderes comunitarios el 31 de mayo, los reguladores revelaron que las inspecciones recientes encontraron 27 pozos petroleros en las comunidades […] READ MORE →
Oil wells are leaking methane across California — please call Gov. Newsom to demand urgent action!
– At a meeting with community leaders on May 31, regulators disclosed that recent inspections found that 27 oil wells in the Kern County communities […] READ MORE →
Last Chance Alliance Announces Statewide ‘Big Oil Resistance Tour’
March 24, 2023 – A 7-Stop Tour from San Diego to Sacramento Galvanizing CA’s Climate Justice Movement to End Oil Drilling SACRAMENTO, CA — Climate advocates, lawmakers and […] READ MORE →
California Issues Hundreds of Neighborhood Oil Drilling Permits After Fossil Fuel Industry Stays Landmark Environmental Justice Law
March 17, 2023 – Sacramento, CA – Climate justice advocates are descending on state oil regulator CalGEM today at noon to express their outrage over the recent approval […] READ MORE →
Climate Advocates Say: “No More Revolving Door” Outside Natural Resources Agency, Call For Newsom to Appoint a Public Health Leader as Top Oil Regulator
January 26, 2023 – SACRAMENTO, CA — Environmental justice advocates gathered outside the California Natural Resources building today for a protest urging Governor Newsom to appoint someone with […] READ MORE →
Proposed California 2023-24 Budget Prioritizes Health Buffer Commitment to Oil Drilling Communities Despite Some Cuts to Climate Programs
January 11, 2023 – Proposed California 2023-24 Budget Prioritizes Health Buffer Commitment to Oil Drilling Communities Despite Some Cuts to Climate Programs SACRAMENTO, CA — Governor Newsom’s proposed […] READ MORE →
Why an oil industry’s signature-gathering effort is seen as misleading
December 30, 2022 –
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Push to repeal California anti-oil law inches closer to goal
December 14, 2022 – READ MORE →
California’s Oil Industry Subverts Democracy with Petition to Undo Historic Health & Safety Law and Continue Drilling in Neighborhoods
December 13, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2022 California’s Oil Industry Subverts Democracy with Petition to Undo Historic Health & Safety Law and Continue Drilling […] READ MORE →
Gov. Newsom’s Proposal to Cap Windfall Profits Wins Full Support of CA Climate Justice Advocates at Start of Special Legislative Session
December 6, 2022 – Gov. Newsom’s Proposal to Cap Windfall Profits Wins Full Support of CA Climate Justice Advocates at Start of Special Legislative Session SACRAMENTO, CA […] READ MORE →
Climate activists in Oakland rally against Chevron, big oil profits
November 28, 2022 –
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VISION: 3,200ft Setbacks on New and Existing Wells Passes through the Legislature
August 31, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 31, 2022 Contact: Kobi Naseck | kobi@vision-ca.org Riddhi S. Patel | rpatel@crpe-ej.org 3,200ft Setbacks on New and Existing […] READ MORE →
FracTracker Alliance Discovers Uncontrolled Emissions at 68 Oil Sites Across California
August 22, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 22, 2022 CONTACT: Kyle Ferrar, Western Program Coordinator, FracTracker Alliance, 415-890-3722 ferrar@fractracker.org FracTracker Alliance Discovers Uncontrolled Emissions at 68 Oil […] READ MORE →
160 Climate Activists March Through Sacramento Calling for Phase Out of California Oil
August 13, 2022 – SACRAMENTO, Calif.– Today a youth-led climate protest brought together advocates from across California for a rally on the west steps of the Capitol […] READ MORE →
Animated Video Explains Connection Between Oil Drilling and California’s Climate-Driven Wildfires
August 4, 2022 – SACRAMENTO, Calif– Today Last Chance Alliance, an alliance of more than 900 climate, health, justice and community groups, released a video explaining how […] READ MORE →
Newsom’s Climate Proposals Further Entrench Fossil Fuels and Delay Transition at a Time When Real Action is Desperately Needed
July 26, 2022 – Sacramento, CA – Last Friday, Governor Newsom sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board that acknowledged the limited ambition of their […] READ MORE →
Residents Living Near Oil Drilling and Allies Converge on CalGEM Offices to Expose Gross Monitoring Violations and Long-Delayed Safety Rulemaking
July 13, 2022 – SACRAMENTO, CA – Residents living on the frontlines of California’s oil extraction, and allies from across the state, came together today for demonstrations at […] READ MORE →
Climate Advocates From Across CA Call Out Oil Industry Greed Amid Soaring Gas Prices and Climate-Driven Extreme Weather Events
June 15, 2022 – SACRAMENTO, CA – From Sacramento to San Diego, activists took the climate fight to the streets of their local communities yesterday to highlight the […] READ MORE →
Big Oil Profits. We Pay.
June 2, 2022 – Today, 78 environmental justice, climate, consumer, and public health groups sent the following letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and members of his staff. A […] READ MORE →
Let’s End CA’s Neighborhood Drilling for Earth Day
April 22, 2022 – By: Maricruz Ramirez, Community Organizer with Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment There has been no more urgent period in history for humans […] READ MORE →
Californians Deploy Direct Actions Across the State to Highlight Urgent Need to Halt New Fossil Fuel Projects
April 8, 2022 – Sacramento, CA – At a pivotal moment for our climate, Californians across the state hit their local streets, bridges and waterways, calling on Gov. […] READ MORE →
Gov. Newsom’s State of the State: Strong Statements on Climate, Short on Action
March 9, 2022 – Gov. Newsom’s State of the State: Strong Statements on Climate, Short on Action SACRAMENTO, CA — Yesterday Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered his annual state […] READ MORE →
Newsom Declares “Oil-Free Future” But Proposed Budget Doesn’t Address Extraction
January 10, 2022 – Newsom Declares “Oil-Free Future” But Proposed Budget Doesn’t Address Extraction Sacramento, CA– Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a proposed 2022-23 state budget that commits […] READ MORE →
In the News | Bakersfield.com
Not just fracking: State slows almost all oil permitting
November 27, 2021 –
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In the News | Newsweek
California Regulators Approve Fewer Fracking Permits Due to Climate Change Concerns
November 24, 2021 –
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In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
Citing climate risks, California is denying fracking permits in droves
November 23, 2021 –
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California Joins the International ‘Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance’ as a Second-Tier Member
November 11, 2021 – GLASGOW — Today at the United Nations climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) announced California will join as […] READ MORE →
California’s future beyond oil is finally in sight. Thank you, Governor Newsom.
October 28, 2021 – Join us in thanking Gov. Newsom for his move on health and safety setbacks and tell him you support a strong final rule and a future beyond fossil fuels. READ MORE →
In the News | Sacramento Bee
At Glasgow United Nations summit, Newsom must become the bold climate leader we hoped for
October 25, 2021 –
On the heels of the recall election, Newsom is primed to boldly reassert California’s leadership on climate.
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CA Governor Newsom Announces Statewide 3,200-foot Setback Distance to Separate Communities from Toxic Oil Operations
October 21, 2021 – Today, Gov. Newsom announced that California’s oil regulator, California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) has released its long-awaited draft health and safety rule recommending a mandated 3,200-foot distance between new oil and gas extraction sites and the places where people live, work and play. READ MORE →
Gov. Newsom: Thank you! we celebrate your move on health and safety setbacks and support further actions to phase out fossil fuels.
– Gov. Newsom announced that California’s oil regulator, California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) has released its draft health and safety rule recommending a mandated […] READ MORE →
In the News | Los Angeles Times
Column: As California continues to burn, politicians must have their feet held to the fire
October 18, 2021 –
Wildfires have always menaced California and that will never stop, especially with climate warming.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Dismayed by oil spill, some in Huntington Beach say it’s time to end offshore drilling
October 6, 2021 –
Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference at Bolsa Chica State Beach on Tuesday afternoon that it’s “time once and for all to disabuse ourselves that [oil drilling] has to be part of our future.”
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Massive Oil Spill in Orange County Highlights Need for Phase Out of All CA Oil Production
October 4, 2021 – A massive spill has leaked as much as 126,000 gallons of oil from a broken pipeline connected to an offshore drilling platform about five miles off the coast of Orange County, CA. READ MORE →
In the News | Los Angeles Times
Editorial: Huntington Beach shore is covered in oil. This is why the U.S. needs to end coastal drilling
October 3, 2021 –
We already know the U.S. needs to wean itself off oil and gas to help the planet avoid the worst impacts of climate change. This spill illustrates that the threat to the coastal environment isn’t just hypothetical and that we need to move much faster to phase out coastal oil drilling.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
What caused the massive oil spill off Huntington Beach? Here is what we know
October 3, 2021 –
People began smelling oil off the Orange County coast on Friday afternoon. By Saturday, an oil slick was visible, with boaters along with dolphins and other marine life moving through it. Then overnight Saturday night and Sunday morning, oil begin to wash onto beaches and marshland along the Huntington Beach coast.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Huge ecological losses feared as Orange County oil spill hits wetlands, marshes
October 3, 2021 –
“What we’re seeing here is the legacy of our addiction to fossil fuels — this is something that will keep happening unless we switch to clean energy,” said Jacqueline Savitz, chief policy officer for Oceana, a group working to protect the world’s oceans. “No matter how much you clean up a spill, there will always be oil that lingers for years and years.”
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Newsletter: Why hasn’t California closed Aliso Canyon? Critics say Newsom needs to step up
October 1, 2021 –
Alexandra Nagy, California director of the environmental group Food and Water Watch, says Newsom must step up. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done, and a lot more leadership that needs to be shown,” she told me.
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In the News | East Bay Times
Recall may be over but climate crisis is not – a youth perspective
September 29, 2021 –
If decisive action isn’t taken, my generation will have to endure the impending consequences of droughts and wildfires.
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Environmentalists, Public Health Advocates Take Climate Crisis to Steps of Capitol
September 28, 2021 – Today, environment and public health advocates will unite to bring the climate crisis to the steps of the Capitol Building in Sacramento with a visually-driven demonstration. READ MORE →
In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
California moves on climate change, but rejects aggressive cuts to greenhouse emissions
September 25, 2021 –
If decisive action isn’t taken, my generation will have to endure the impending consequences of droughts and wildfires.
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Newsom’s Historic Climate Package Fails to Deliver Action on Fossil Fuels
September 23, 2021 – Today, Governor Newsom announced a $15 billion climate package including nearly $4 billion for electric vehicles, $5 billion for drought management, and $1.5 billion for wildfires, forest management, and prescribed burns in the state of California. However, the Governor made no mention of immediate action on phasing out fossil fuels. READ MORE →
Newsom, the Recall Is Over; Time To Uphold Commitments to Climate and Communities
September 15, 2021 – With the election now behind us, environmental advocates across the state are touting the strength of progressive voters who helped keep a dangerous climate denier out of office. READ MORE →
In the News | Capital & Main
California Oil Industry Continues to Thwart Climate-Related Bills
September 15, 2021 –
Amid drought and wildfire crises, the state’s powerful industries have stymied 12 bills meant to address climate change and industry accountability.
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In the News | Governing
Kern County Will Sue Gavin Newsom for Efforts to Ban Fracking
August 16, 2021 –
While the Western United States and other regions around the world endure intensifying wildfires that climate scientists have long warned of, the California town Greenville garnered global attention on Thursday after the Dixie Fire—now over 322,000 acres—”leveled” much of the tiny community.
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Californians Impacted by Oil Drilling and Climate-Driven Wildfires Unite in the Call for an Urgent End to Oil & Gas Production
August 13, 2021 – Sacramento, CA—Today, climate and public health experts joined community members who have been most impacted by California’s climate crisis to highlight the role in-state […] READ MORE →
In the News | Common Dreams
‘Like a Blowtorch’: Historic Dixie Fire ‘Catastrophically’ Destroys Greenville, California
August 5, 2021 –
While the Western United States and other regions around the world endure intensifying wildfires that climate scientists have long warned of, the California town Greenville garnered global attention on Thursday after the Dixie Fire—now over 322,000 acres—”leveled” much of the tiny community.
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In the News | San Luis Obispo Tribune
We need bold action. Gov. Newsom should declare a climate state of emergency, writes SLO mayor
August 4, 2021 –
The quality of the air one breathes shouldn’t depend on your zip code. As we gear up to return to post-pandemic life, we need to change the societal divisions COVID-19 highlighted.
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In the News | Inside Climate News
The Carbon Cost of California’s Most Prolific Oil Fields
August 3, 2021 –
On the list of top U.S. states for oil production, California ranks seventh, which is undoubtedly a surprise to many who focus on the state’s green and progressive environmental laws. Thanks to those laws, the California Air Resources Board collects data not only on the amount of oil extracted from every oil field in the state, but on how much energy is required to get each barrel of crude out of the ground.
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In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
Carbon neutral isn’t good enough. California needs to be carbon negative by 2030
July 30, 2021 –
Amid record heat waves, fires, and a federal energy and climate policy landscape that is in some ways even more aggressive than California’s, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently asked state agencies to accelerate their clean energy, environmental justice and climate protection goals.
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In the News | CalMatters
Gavin Newsom report card: What he has done, and what he hasn’t
July 21, 2021 –
Backers of the campaign to fire Gov. Gavin Newsom are hoping that Californians will keep some things in mind when they cast their vote in the Sept. 14 recall election.
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CA Oil Regulator Denies 21 Fracking Permits But Leaves Frontline Communities Waiting on Health & Safety Protections
July 9, 2021 – CA Oil Regulator Denies 21 Fracking Permits But Leaves Frontline Communities Waiting on Health & Safety Protections Today, CA’s oil regulator CalGEM announced […] READ MORE →
In the News | The Associated Press
California oil regulators delay health, safety rules again
June 23, 2021 –
It’s been a year and a half since California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed oil regulators to consider new health and safety measures to protect people living near oil and gas drilling sites.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
California regulators again delay health rules to protect people near oil and gas sites
June 22, 2021 –
It’s been a year and a half since California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed oil regulators to consider new health and safety measures to protect people living near oil and gas drilling sites.
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In the News | Desert Sun
California oil regulators delay health, safety rules for people living near drill sites
June 22, 2021 –
It’s been a year and a half since California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed oil regulators to consider new health and safety measures to protect people living near oil and gas drilling sites.
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In the News | CalMatters
Fire risk amid a housing crisis — California’s challenging new reality
June 22, 2021 –
Last Chance Alliance: “Frontline communities cannot afford for this rulemaking process to drag on indefinitely with no concrete actions to address the real and immediate threat of neighborhood drilling.”
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Newsletter: Why a California oil workers union is getting behind clean energy
June 10, 2021 –
The dominant narrative about labor unions and climate change is that fossil fuel workers are a major roadblock to action. There’s good reason for that reputation.
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In the News | AP News
Governor caught between key Democratic blocs on oil setbacks
May 25, 2021 –
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has set some of the nation’s most ambitious goals for weaning his state off oil, including a ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 and the end of oil production a decade later.
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In the News | Capital & Main
Engineers Warn Pressure at Los Angeles Oil Well Site Is Building
May 24, 2021 –
More than a year after a shuttered drilling site in the middle of a South L.A. neighborhood was deemed unsafe, it remains a risk for residents.
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In the News | The Bakersfield Californian
Newsom allocates $200 million for oil and gas well remediation
May 17, 2021 –
Environmental activists applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s move Friday to earmark $200 million for remediating idle oil and gas wells across California.
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Newsom’s May Budget Revision Includes $200 Million to Plug Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells
May 14, 2021 – Gov. Newsom’s May budget revision, released today, will help drive economic opportunity as we simultaneously address the climate crisis. READ MORE →
In the News | The New Yorker
Renewable Energy Is Suddenly Startlingly Cheap
April 28, 2021 –
Now the biggest barrier to change is the will of our politicians to take serious climate action.
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In the News | bakersfield.com
State study on phasing out oil production finds Kern will see greatest costs, benefits
April 28, 2021 –
Phasing out California oil and gas production in service of Sacramento’s goal of statewide carbon neutrality by 2045 will require difficult health and economic tradeoffs impacting Kern more than anywhere else in the state, according to a new report intended to help policymakers navigate the transition.
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California becomes largest oil producer in world to commit to total oil phaseout, ban fracking — but not soon enough
April 23, 2021 – Climate and Environmental Justice advocates, along with Last Chance Alliance, are urging Newsom to use this historic wave of new appointments to show his commitment to racial justice and the climate. READ MORE →
In the News | POLITICO
Biden takes on Dems’ ‘Mission Impossible’: Revitalizing coal country
April 20, 2021 –
After years of watching their standing erode in energy-producing states, Democrats under President Joe Biden have accepted the challenge that’s vexed them for a decade: convincing fossil fuel workers that they will still be okay even if their current jobs evaporate as the nation embraces a climate change-friendly economy.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
An Earth Day message for California: Move faster on climate change
April 20, 2021 –
If there’s one thing to understand this Earth Day about California’s role in confronting the climate crisis, it’s this: Just because the state considers itself a global leader doesn’t mean it’s doing nearly enough.
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In the News | CalMatters
Has California given up its climate ambitions?
April 19, 2021 –
The era of California’s big climate ambitions is over, even as California’s megadroughts and wildfires worsen.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Editorial: Newsom’s pledge to ban fracking was all talk, no action
April 15, 2021 –
A bill that would have outlawed fracking and dramatically curtailed oil and gas drilling in California died Tuesday, during its very first committee hearing.
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In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
Editorial: If California is America’s climate leader, we’re all in trouble
April 14, 2021 –
As the latest evidence of extended drought and extreme wildfire danger confirms, California’s climate is changing quickly. Its policy on burning planet-warming fuels — not so much.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Pipeline leaks more than 1,600 gallons of oil at Inglewood Oil Field
April 8, 2021 –
A pipeline leaked more than 1,600 gallons of oil this week in the Inglewood Oil Field near Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area when a valve was left open.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
The next Aliso Canyon could happen on L.A.’s Westside
April 7, 2021 –
The sludgy geyser of gas, water and mud startled residents of Marina del Rey.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Newsom asked for a fracking ban. He may get more than he bargained for with ambitious plan
April 4, 2021 –
California’s billion-dollar oil industry has so far largely remained on the sidelines during the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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In the News | Yale E360
The Oil Well Next Door: California’s Silent Health Hazard
March 31, 2021 –
Unlike other oil-producing states, much of the drilling in California takes place in residential neighborhoods, often in Spanish-speaking communities. Despite mounting complaints about pollution from the wells, the state has failed to take action to address this public health problem.
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In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
Proposed natural gas well at edge of Bay Area riles up opposition, at odds with state’s climate goals
March 28, 2021 –
A Brentwood company’s proposal to drill a natural gas well in Suisun Marsh has become the latest flash point in California’s quest to fight climate change and transition away from fossil fuels.
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In the News | The Guardian
‘Kern runs on oil’: as California confronts climate crisis, one county is ready to drill
March 12, 2021 –
Kern county has approved the drilling of thousands of new wells despite opposition from farmers and activists.
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In the News | San Francisco Chronicle
Go-ahead for more oil wells in Kern County frustrates California’s climate ambitions
March 11, 2021 –
A small oil boom may be dawning in the flatlands outside Bakersfield, where many are hoping for a petroleum-led economic bump for the San Joaquin Valley, but where others see California losing its will to break away from fossil fuels.
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Governor Newsom’s 2021 Budget Fails to Address the State’s Fossil-Fueled Public Health and Climate Crises
January 8, 2021 – Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom released his 2021 state budget, which fails to directly address the extraction and production of in-state fossil fuels, despite the climate and health threats posed to communities living near pollution sites during this pandemic. READ MORE →
Advocates Urge Gov. Newsom to Appoint Climate Justice Leaders
December 8, 2020 – Climate and Environmental Justice advocates, along with Last Chance Alliance, are urging Newsom to use this historic wave of new appointments to show his commitment to racial justice and the climate. READ MORE →
CA Audit Reveals Major Violations Under Newsom’s Watch as he Cozies Up to Big Oil
December 1, 2020 – Sacramento, Calif. — An audit by the state Department of Finance reveals that oil and gas regulators have been violating their own rules. As […] READ MORE →
Last Chance Alliance is in solidarity with California’s family caregivers
November 2, 2020 – We are in solidarity with the 123,402 family caregivers employed through the state’s In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program and the more than 300,000 employed by private homes in California. READ MORE →
In the News | Capital & Main
Gov. Newsom Pledges to Ban Fracking in California – Then Greenlights More of It
October 23, 2020 –
The Newsom administration has established a pattern of approving permits during busy news cycles.
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In the News | KQED
Behind the Battle for the Future of California’s Oil
October 23, 2020 –
Environmentalists, petroleum industry executives, union leaders, and communities near oil drilling sites are all gearing up for what’s expected to be a fierce political battle over efforts to reduce California’s oil production.
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In the News | KQED
Not Just Fracking: Cut All Oil Drilling in California, Says Key Lawmaker
October 22, 2020 –
Not Just Fracking: Cut All Oil Drilling in California, Says Key Lawmaker
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In the News | High Country News
When home is next to an oil refinery.
October 5, 2020 –
All I knew about Wilmington, California, was poverty, so I long hid my connection to it.
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CA Governor Newsom’s Executive Order on Climate Is Missing Action on Oil
October 1, 2020 – Climate & Justice Advocates Demand More from Governor to Phase Out Oil Drilling SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, CA Governor Gavin Newsom announced an Executive […] READ MORE →
In the News | ProPublica
Oil Companies Are Profiting From Illegal Spills. And California Lets Them.
September 18, 2020 –
California may be a global leader on combating climate change, but state regulators have allowed companies like Chevron to make millions from inland oil spills that can endanger workers and damage the environment.
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In the News | Los Angeles Times
Boiling Point newsletter: Gavin Newsom just promised ‘giant leaps forward’ on climate. Will he follow through?
September 17, 2020 –
Why are climate activists so frustrated with Newsom? Energy reporter Sammy Roth explains.
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In the News | CalMatters
Five solutions to California’s climate crisis Gov. Newsom should implement … right now
September 16, 2020 –
Gov. Newsom recognizes that our current climate targets are inadequate. We have the technology ready to go. Here is a checklist.
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In the News | ABC7
Climate advocates challenge Gov. Newsom’s record on standing up to fossil fuel industry
September 15, 2020 –
Whether in conversation with the president or with the dramatic ruins of a wildfire as his backdrop, Governor Gavin Newsom has been sounding the alarm on climate change, positioning himself on the national stage as a climate leader.
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In the News | Newsweek
Jane Fonda: Trump is a Disaster on Climate Change. But We Can’t Let Gavin Newsom Off the Hook | Opinion
September 15, 2020 –
The California governor has been quick to vow to confront the climate emergency, but has quietly been approving more and more new oil and gas permits.
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In the News | The Washington Post
Power Up: California may be burning. But it’s also still drilling for oil.
September 15, 2020 –
Much of the ire over the fires raging across the Pacific Northwest has thus far been directed at President Trump. But frustrations with California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom are also bubbling over his own climate policies.
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In the News | CalMatters
Lawmakers let oil and gas interests sicken us; Gov. Newsom can put us on the path to recovery
September 14, 2020 –
Many state lawmakers are falling under the thrall of oil and gas industry lobbying dollars, but Gov. Newsom can jumpstart policies that will protect Californians.
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In the News | The Sacramento Bee
Oil Companies Are Profiting From Illegal Spills. And California Lets Them.
September 12, 2020 –
In California this summer, no air conditioning unit, no HEPA filter, no N95 mask worn against the smoke can obscure the growing danger of our state’s toxic relationship with the oil industry.
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In the News | The New Republic
Drilling for Oil While California Burns
September 10, 2020 –
Democrats can’t go green while continuing to green-light fossil fuel production.
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In the News | The Associated Press
Approvals for new oil and gas wells up in California
September 2, 2020 –
Despite pushing back against the Trump administration’s plan to expand oil extraction in California, the state has issued 190% more oil and gas drilling permits in the first six months of 2020 than were approved under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first six months in office, two advocacy groups said Wednesday.
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Ventura County Votes to Protect Communities from Toxic Oil Operations with Health and Safety Buffer Zones
September 2, 2020 – After a 14-hour final hearing on the Ventura County General Plan yesterday, the Board of Supervisors took historic steps to protect vulnerable frontline communities by establishing buffer zones separating oil wells from homes and schools. READ MORE →
Culver City Takes Historic Steps to End Neighborhood Oil Drilling
August 14, 2020 – Innovative Policy in L.A. County Could Ignite Just TransitionWhile Protecting Residents From a Legacy of Toxic Emissions. READ MORE →
Governor Newsom Ramps Up Fracking Under Cover of Holiday Weekend
July 8, 2020 – The Newsom administration issued 12 new fracking permits to Chevron in the Lost Hills oilfield of Kern County just as Californians headed into the Fourth of July weekend. READ MORE →
OVER 40K CALIFORNIANS DEMAND A BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN OIL WELLS AND PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THEM
June 12, 2020 – State Regulators Quietly Issue Fracking Permits Under Cover of COVID-19 Just Before Deadline for Community Input on Public Health Rulemaking READ MORE →
Black Lives Matter
June 3, 2020 – We stand in solidarity with protesters and communities with the Black Lives Matter movement and the Movement for Black Lives. READ MORE →
CALIFORNIA OIL REGULATORS APPROVE 24 NEW FRACKING PERMITS AFTER NEARLY SIX MONTH MORATORIUM
April 3, 2020 – The California Geologic Energy Management Division (Cal-GEM) issued at least 24 hydraulic fracturing (fracking) permits to Aera Energy, a Kern County based oil operator. READ MORE →
Rally Outside State of the State Urges Governor to Phase Out CA’s Fossil Fuel Extraction
February 19, 2020 – Groups with Last Chance Alliance held a rally outside Governor Newsom’s State of the State address to highlight the environmental and public health threats posed by California’s oil industry. READ MORE →
Greenpeace, Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix, Norman Lear, Nalleli Cobo, & others bring fire drill Fridays to Los Angeles
February 7, 2020 – After four months of iconic protests to demand leaders act to address the climate crisis in Washington D.C Jane Fonda, Greenpeace USA, Last Chance Alliance, Joaquin Phoenix, and others have brought Fire Drill Fridays to California. READ MORE →
Environmental Justice Advocates Present Dangers of Oil Drilling to CA State Assembly
January 28, 2020 – SACRAMENTO—Yesterday, the California State Assembly held an oversight hearing to consider the sustainability and safety of California's oil extraction industry in light of massive spills at Chevron's Cymric oil field in Kern County over the last few years. READ MORE →
California Sets Global Precedent by Becoming First Major Oil Producer Starting Process to Phase-Out Oil Supply
November 19, 2019 – SACRAMENTO.━ Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom launched an unprecedented new effort to begin phasing out in-state oil production as part of a plan to make the state carbon neutral by 2045. California, which boasts the fifth largest economy in the world and ranks among the nation’s top oil producers, will begin a process to strengthen health and safety requirements, including the consideration of a setback requirement near oil permitting, establish a moratorium on an extreme-extraction technique known as steam injection that poses serious contamination risks to nearby air and water sources, and establish new third-party review for fracking and other related permitting, with a moratorium on new fracking approvals pending further review. READ MORE →
Last Chance Alliance Calls for Phase-out of California Oil Drilling During Climate Week
September 24, 2019 – SACRAMENTO—On Friday, as youth across California were striking to protect their futures from disastrous climate change, the office of Governor Newsom announced that he would be signing an executive order to “leverage the state’s $700 billion pension investment portfolio and assets to advance California’s climate leadership.” While the executive order touches on many aspects of California’s economy, including state investments, transportation systems and vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, it fails to address the state’s fossil fuel industry. READ MORE →
Climate and Justice Advocates Call on Gov. Newsom to Immediately Halt Oil & Gas Permitting Amid Flagrant Agency Violations
August 12, 2019 – SACRAMENTO—First uncovered by the Desert Sun, Californians learned today that the state agency responsible for regulating the oil and gas industry, the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) has been using “dummy” files to allow fossil fuel companies to avoid review and continue risky projects without oversight. This news comes one month after Governor Newsom’s office fired DOGGR head Ken Harris for doubling the fracking permits issued during his time as governor without his knowledge and reports of conflict of interest among senior officials. READ MORE →
Governor Newsom Tours Kern County Oil Spill as Local Residents Call for Immediate Health and Safety Protections
July 24, 2019 – MCKITTRICK, CA– Governor Gavin Newsom today visited Chevron’s Cymric oilfield, the site of one of the largest oil spills ever in California, that has reportedly seeped 974,400 gallons of a hazardous mix of oil and wastewater into the surrounding area for over two months. READ MORE →
Massive Oil Spill Endangers Central Valley Residents and Highlights State Agency’s Negligence in Protecting Community Health and Climate
July 12, 2019 – MCKITTRICK, CA—As first reported by KQED, an oil spill even larger than the 2015 Plains All American Pipeline disaster occurred in Kern County. It spilled more than a half-million gallons of oil and wastewater into the surrounding area over the past two months. READ MORE →
Advocates Call For Prioritizing Community Health and Safety as CA Explores Managed Decline of Fossil Fuels
June 28, 2019 – SACRAMENTO—California Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday signed into law a state budget that allocates $1.5 million for “a study to identify strategies to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline of fossil fuel use in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable.” An interagency state team, in partnership with the University of California system, will explore managing the decline of in-state production alongside a decrease in demand. READ MORE →
Governor Newsom’s Budget Revision Highlights Need for “Managed Decline” of Fossil Fuel Supply in California
May 6, 2019 – SACRAMENTO—California Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised 2019-20 budget proposal yesterday, calling for “the need for careful study and planning to decrease demand and supply of fossil fuels, while managing the decline in a way that is economically responsible and sustainable.” (p. 74) The proposal includes $1.5 million for a study laying out the key actions the state must take to transition California’s economy away from fossil fuels by 2050. READ MORE →