A new last-minute bill in the California Legislature will increase oil production in Kern County.
The bill comes as a gut-and-amend to Senate Bill 237, authored in part by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield).
Driving the news: Hurtado and three other Senators initially introduced SB 237 into the Legislature earlier this year to require sellers of single-family properties to disclose the names and license numbers of any contractors and third parties that worked on the property.
The big picture: With the Legislature scheduled to end its current session on Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D–Hollister) and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D–Healdsburg) cut a deal that will streamline environmental approvals for new wells in Kern County.
- On the other hand, SB 237 will also make offshore drilling more difficult by increasing certain regulatory requirements.
Zoom out: SB 237 was introduced on Wednesday as part of a package of bills regarding energy issues: SB 352, SB 254, AB 825, SB 840 and AB 1207.
- The other bills would create an air pollution monitoring program, replenish the state’s wildfire liability fund, regionalize California’s electricity grid and extend the Cap-and-Trade program.
State of play: The proposal comes after two major oil refiners – Valero and Phillips 66 – announced plans to close their plants in California.
- Those two plants produce around 18% of California’s entire oil capacity.
Go deeper: Kern County has long pushed for Newsom to increase the number of new oil well permits approved by his administration in order to boost energy production.
- Under SB 237, up to 2,000 new wells per year in Kern County would be granted statutory approval.
