The future of oil in California is the center of disagreement between the state and recent actions from Washington, in a classic case of federal versus state policy.
EnergyNews reports that California Governor Gavin Newsom has been limiting oil expansion in the state through a temporary prohibition on certain types of well injections, an expansion of hydraulic fracturing oversight, and an independent audit of California’s process for granting of drilling permits.
In stark contrast, the federal government has finalized a plan which would resume auctions for oil-drilling rights on more than 700,000 acres of federal land in 11 Central California counties, according to EnergyNews.
While the Newsom administration is adamant about reducing our reliance on oil and gas, the Trump administration has been aggressive in the expansion of fossil fuel development on public lands.