On today’s show, I speak to Dr. Michelle Merrill of Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island about their upcoming event Scientist Speak Out Rally and Teach-In.  We’ll switch gears and speak to The Climate Center’s Woody Hastings (Phasing Out Polluting Fuels Program Director) on the latest effort by the environmental justice community and beyond to urge the Newsom administration to prioritize the people of this state over fossil fuel profits.

Leaked Language from Newsom’s Office:

SEC. 7. Section 21080.80 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read: 21080.80.

(a) This division shall not apply to the approval by the Geologic Energy Management Division of a notice of intention under Section 3203 to commence drilling a new well, to the extent this division would otherwise apply, if all of the following requirements are met:

(1) Approval of the notice of intention is not part of a project for which there is already a certified, complete, and valid environmental impact report or an adopted, complete, and valid negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration.

(2) The wellhead for the new well to be drilled is located within an established oil and gas field, as identified by the Geologic Energy Management Division.

(3) The wellhead for the new well to be drilled is not located within a health protection zone, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 3280.

(4) Activities approved under the notice of intention for a new well will not require an individual take permit for species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.) or the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code).

(5) Activities approved under the notice of intention for a new well will not require a streambed alteration permit pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1600) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code.

(6) The wellhead location for the new well to be drilled has no cultural or historic resources present, as determined by a qualified archeologist based on a pedestrian ground surface survey demonstrating no cultural or historic resources are present at the site.

(7) (A) Before the new well is drilled, two other wells, as defined in Section 3008, shall be plugged and abandoned.

(i) One of the wells to be plugged and abandoned shall have a wellhead located in the same oil and gas field as the new well, as determined by the Geologic Energy Management Division.

(ii) The other well to be plugged and abandoned shall have a wellhead located in a health protection zone, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 3280.

(iii) A well that has already been identified in any idle well elimination plan described in Section 3206 shall not count for the plugging and abandonment required pursuant to this paragraph. A well plugged and abandoned under the requirements of this paragraph shall not subsequently count for compliance with an idle well elimination plan described in Section 3206.

(B) The notice of intention submitted for the replacement well shall identify the two wells that have been plugged and abandoned in accordance with Section 3208 and that satisfy the conditions in subparagraph (A). Plugging and abandonment of both wells shall be completed after January 1, 2026, and before commencement of work under the notice of intention for the new well.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2036, deletes or extends that date.

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