,
July 28, 2020
The VC Planning Commission is taking public comment for a hearing on Thursday, July 30, about strengthening the regulations for the VC Planning Department approval of new oil drilling permits.
Email concerns directly by Wednesday, July 29 at 3:30 p.m.
TO: CASE PLANNER Mindy Fogg <[email protected]>
SUBJECT: Item No. 7: CASE NUMBER PL20-0052: Protection from Antiquated Oil Approval Standards
or
Email 250 words or less during the July 30th hearing
TO: [email protected] [note this email address will only be operational from 8:30 a.m. until the end of the Hearing on July 30]
SUBJECT: Item 7 “Read at Meeting”
Speak at the hearing using Zoom. Click here to register no later than 3:30 p.m. on July 29th. You will receive an email with the Zoom meeting link and password by 5:00 a.m. on July 30th, the day of the Planning Commission hearing.
To watch the planning commission live stream, click here. The item is No. 7 on the agenda.
THE DAYS OF GRANDFATHERING PERMITS TO OIL PRODUCERS IS OVER
Last fall, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors directed County staff to update the County’s oil drilling ordinances so that any new wells under these antiquated permits will be subject to greater transparency and environmental review. The Planning Commission will consider this important issue at a video-conference hearing on Thursday, July 30.
THANKS TO LOS PADRES FOREST WATCH FOR LEADERSHIP ON THIS CAMPAIGN THAT AFFECTS OIL PRODUCTION EVERYWHERE WITH SPECIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR FOREST AREAS AND FOR WATER SUPPLIES:
Thousands of new oil wells in Ventura County were drilled and continue to operate under “antiquated” permits issued up to 75 years ago. Most antiquated permits have never undergone environmental review and do not restrict dangerous techniques like fracking. Many of these wells are within and near the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest including the Sespe Oil Field—one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in Ventura County.
The Sespe Oil Field is only several hundred feet from the City of Fillmore’s only supply of drinking water and adjacent to the Sespe Wilderness, the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, and the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge–critical areas for endangered California condors and southern California steelhead.
