The Los Angeles City Council last week voted unanimously to ban new oil wells in the city and phase out old oil wells by 2042. Companies have 20 years maximum to shut down, though a city-led study on whether companies’ investments can be recovered sooner may force them to act before the deadline. As the Los Angeles Times reports, Council President Paul Krekorian believes this marks an “important step towards environmental justice that this council has taken in recent memory.”
It was communities, environmental groups, and activists who really set the course for an outright ban on new oil wells. ABC Los Angeles affiliate KTLA spoke with Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling (STAND LA), who were thanked by Council Member Mike Bonin for working “tirelessly” as representatives and on behalf of frontline communities. The group Communities for a Better Environment was also pivotal in this major environmental justice win.
Campaign Action
Oil companies unsurprisingly expressed significant opposition to the plan, with the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) submitting a letter to the city council signed by more than 300 fossil fuel producers against the ban. CIPA—and other fossil fuel organizations and companies—truly keep racking up losses but, sadly, have continued to use shady tactics in attempting to skirt laws meant to protect communities already overburdened by polluters.
My colleague Meteor Blades offers insights on Big Oil’s latest fight against a California law establishing a safety zone between oil wells and homes. This fight certainly isn’t over, but there are ways to ensure that environmental justice wins span the entire country. The Environmental Justice For All Act, which was introduced last year, includes mechanisms that would bolster the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
According to a fact sheet released by Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, who introduced the legislation, the Environmental Justice For All Act would “[require] consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions under the Clean WaterAct and the Clean Air Act and ensures that permits will not be issued if the project cannot demonstrate a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health.”
The bill was created in concert with environmental justice groups and had the support of Rep. Donald McEachin, an ardent environmentalist whose legacy would live on in beautiful tribute to his tireless work advocating for frontline communities if the Environmental Justice For All Act were to pass.
It was communities, environmental groups, and activists who really set the course for an outright ban on new oil wells. ABC Los Angeles affiliate KTLA spoke with Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling (STAND LA), who were thanked by Council Member Mike Bonin for working “tirelessly” as representatives and on behalf of frontline communities. The group Communities for a Better Environment was also pivotal in this major environmental justice win.
Campaign Action
Oil companies unsurprisingly expressed significant opposition to the plan, with the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) submitting a letter to the city council signed by more than 300 fossil fuel producers against the ban. CIPA—and other fossil fuel organizations and companies—truly keep racking up losses but, sadly, have continued to use shady tactics in attempting to skirt laws meant to protect communities already overburdened by polluters.
My colleague Meteor Blades offers insights on Big Oil’s latest fight against a California law establishing a safety zone between oil wells and homes. This fight certainly isn’t over, but there are ways to ensure that environmental justice wins span the entire country. The Environmental Justice For All Act, which was introduced last year, includes mechanisms that would bolster the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
According to a fact sheet released by Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, who introduced the legislation, the Environmental Justice For All Act would “[require] consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions under the Clean WaterAct and the Clean Air Act and ensures that permits will not be issued if the project cannot demonstrate a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health.”
The bill was created in concert with environmental justice groups and had the support of Rep. Donald McEachin, an ardent environmentalist whose legacy would live on in beautiful tribute to his tireless work advocating for frontline communities if the Environmental Justice For All Act were to pass.