Protect Public Health by Increasing Regulations for Oil and Gas Wells

By Judy Zhou

With the 2024 General Election approaching, California stands at a critical juncture in environmental policy. Senate Bill 1137 (SB 1137) will safeguard our communities from harmful pollution emitted by oil and gas wells across the state, yet tension between environmental and economic interest groups has derailed its progress. Opponents of the bill filed for a voter referendum after its initial passing in 2022, putting the law on hold [1]. Now, voters have a chance to put SB 1137 into effect and pave the way for a healthier California. Support for SB 1137 on Election Day is vital for rectifying long-standing environmental injustice and mitigating the climate crisis.

The central objective of SB 1137 is to establish a setback distance of 3,200 feet between oil and gas development (OGD) and sensitive receptors, which include residences, education facilities, health care facilities, detention centers, and public business buildings [2]. It will also mandate existing OGD to meet specified regulations by Jan. 1, 2025 [2]. Air and water pollution will be limited per standards set by the Air Resources Board and the State Water Board, and operators will be required to submit regular chemical analyses of produced water to the California Geologic Energy Management Division [3]. Noise, light, and dust pollution will also be monitored [3]. If passed, leak detection systems will be developed alongside detailed response plans [3].

The lack of buffer zones around OGD in California has exacerbated pollution-related health issues in vulnerable communities. Studies from the California Oil and Gas Public Health Rulemaking Scientific Advisory Panel have concluded proximity to OGD highly correlates with perinatal and respiratory challenges [4]. Preterm births, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are among the most severe hazards [4, 5]. Nosebleeds, headaches, and stomachaches are common reports from citizens [1]. A recent link to COVID-19 complications has been found as well [6]. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has connected noise exposure reductions to a decreased prevalence of serious health conditions in communities with noise exceeding EPA standards [4]. Five decibels of mitigation can lower hypertension by 1.4% and coronary heart disease by 1.8% [4]. Accordingly, public health experts recommend a minimum distance of 3,200 feet between neighborhoods and drilling to decrease exposure to environmental stressors [6]. Still, of the 103,890 wells in California, 28,367 (27.3%) are within 3,200 feet of a sensitive receptor, chronically exposing nearly 300 million people to toxic emissions [7, 5].

Given that a majority of the people who live within 3,200 feet of OGD are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian members of the working class, environmental injustice proves significant [7]. Non-white Californians account for 69% of the communities near OGD [7]. Disparities in distribution can be traced back to historic redlining. Maps developed by the Home-Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s remain relevant as indicators of residential segregation [8]. Neighborhoods with more Black people were given lower HOLC grades than comparable majority-white neighborhoods, largely contributing to ongoing socioeconomic discrimination [8]. Today, previously redlined neighborhoods contain twice as many OGD as higher-graded neighborhoods [8]. This greatly impacts future generations of marginalized families because children are more susceptible to environmental stressors [4]. Those under five years old account for 5.9% of the communities near OGD, and those under 18 years old account for 21.4% [7]. Further delay in federal intervention will continue the cycle of environmental injustice in California.

Arguments against SB 1137 are centered around its implications on California’s gas prices and labor market. The California Independent Petroleum Association, which was under investigation by the California Secretary of State’s office for spreading misinformation, reasoned SB 1137 would decrease domestic energy supply and replace it with more expensive imported foreign oil [3, 1, 6]. Additionally, the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California argued a potential loss of thousands of industrial manufacturing union jobs may precede the implementation of SB 1137 [3].

Big Oil contends current regulation of extraction operations by more than two dozen government agencies renders SB 1137 unnecessary, but California is the only major oil production state without an explicit setback distance for OGD [3, 7]. As Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration moves to convert California from fossil fuels to clean energy, job opportunities are rising within the renewable energy industry [6]. The sector currently employs more than 485,000 workers in California, and OGD workers may enter the renewable energy industry following the implementation of SB 1137 [9].

By supporting SB 1137, we can ensure that no communities are left behind as we transition to a greener and more resilient California. On Election Day, remember that our health should never be compromised for economic profit. Vote to uphold SB 1137 to protect our environment and our future.

Works Cited

“California Voters May Face Dueling Measures on 2024 Ballot about Oil Wells near Homes and Schools.” CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/california-voters-may-face-dueling-measures-on-2024-ballot-about-oil-wells-near-homes-and-schools/.
Weber, Shirley N. “New Referendum Qualified for California’s November 2024 Ballot.” California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/news-releases-and-advisories/2023-news-releases-and-advisories/new-referendum-qualified-november-2024-ballot.
“California Oil and Gas Well Regulations Referendum (2024).” Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/California_Oil_and_Gas_Well_Regulations_Referendum_(2024).
Shabazian, David, Uduak-Joe Ntuk, and California Geologic Energy Management Division. “CalGEM Questions for the California Oil and Gas Public Health Rulemaking Scientific Advisory Panel.” PSE Healthy Energy. https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Public-Health-Panel-Memo.pdf.
“Sierra Club California Opposes Oil Industry-Backed Referendum to Repeal Senate Bill 1137, A Historic Health-Protective Law.” Sierra Club California. https://www.sierraclub.org/california/sierra-club-california-opposes-oil-industry-backed-referendum-repeal-senate-bill-1137.
Moas, Amy. “Big Oil Forces A Hold on California Law Ending Neighborhood Drilling.” Greenpeace, February 5, 2023. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/issues/california-climate-emergency/.
Ferrar, Kyle. “Implications of a 3,200-Foot Setback in California.” FracTracker, August 24, 2023. https://www.fractracker.org/2022/04/implications-of-a-3200-foot-setback-in-california/.
Gonzalez, David J. X., Anthony Nardone, Andrew V. Nguyen, Rachel Morello-Frosch, and Joan A. Casey. “Historic Redlining and the Siting of Oil and Gas Wells in the United States.” Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, April 13, 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-022-00434-9.
“California Moves to Prevent New Oil Drilling Near Communities, Expand Health Protections.” Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, October 21, 2021. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/10/21/california-moves-to-prevent-new-oil-drilling-near-communities-expand-health-protections-2/.