Oakland — Today, Governor Newsom announced that he is directing state agencies to develop a plan to phase out oil production in California by 2045 and to ban fracking by 2025.
Clean Water Action's Kern County Organizer, Jesus Alonso, released the following statement:
"We applaud Governor Newsom for taking steps to phase out oil production in California. Now we need to see this administration take concrete actions today to protect Californians and the climate from oil and gas with the urgency the climate crisis and public health demand. The first step of any phaseout plan must be an immediate 2,500 foot health and safety buffer to keep drilling away from homes, schools, where we work, play and congregate.
The administration doesn't need to wait stop issuing fracking and drilling permits, granting new aquifer exemptions, and crack down on activities that put our water at risk like wastewater disposal into open pits."
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table.