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Trump Administration Waives Water-protection Rule for Three California Oilfields

by Center for Biological Diversity
Exemptions Will Allow Oil Companies to Dump Waste Fluid Into Aquifers
sm_proposed-exempt-aquifers.jpg
[ Image: Screenshot from Map of Proposed Exempt Aquifers ]

SACRAMENTO, Calif., February 14, 2017 — The Trump administration this week granted requests from Gov. Jerry Brown’s regulators to exempt three aquifers near the Fruitvale, Round Mountain and Tejon oilfields in California’s Kern County from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Approval of these “aquifer exemption” applications by Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency gives oil companies permission to dump contaminated waste fluid into these underground water supplies.

“Gov. Brown’s legacy will be deeply tarnished by this deplorable decision to let the most anti-environmental administration in history decide the future of California aquifers,” said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Trump’s EPA is clearly eager to help state oil regulators give California’s water away to the petroleum industry. In the dry decades to come, we’re going to bitterly regret the governor’s willingness to sacrifice this water to oil companies.”

The applications were drafted by oil companies and then submitted to the EPA by California’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. California officials plan to submit dozens of additional exemption applications for other aquifers across the state, including underground water sources in Alameda, Monterey, Ventura, Kern and other counties (see interactive map: https://curtbradley.cartodb.com/viz/ba357eac-2db1-11e6-a7c1-0ecfd53eb7d3/embed_map).

If the EPA approves the state’s applications, oil companies would be allowed to operate injection wells and dump waste fluid into these underground sources of drinking water. Oil waste fluid commonly contains cancer-causing benzene and other pollutants.

The aquifer exemption process also shrugs off the risk that oil industry injections could trigger manmade earthquakes. Scientists recently linked oilfield injections in the Tejon area to an earthquake swarm. Even minor tremors could endanger other nearby water supplies by opening up pathways to contamination.


The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/oil-waste-02-14-2017.php

Center for Biological Diversity
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
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Comments (Hide Comments)
Gov Jerry Brown,
To tell the truth this 70 year old veteran still can not believe you are letting known polluters use anything in this state! Is there a pro quid from the trumpster party of 1%? Who obviously are getting ready to wreak and bankrupt america as fast as they can? Leaving us with totally ignorant schools, filled with children less prepared to take care of themselves as adults? Now no fresh drinking water, with fracking so well water will also be contaminated? Going to start a petition to charge for these services to recover- repair the damage we know is coming! The democratic super majority must be ruthless to save this state from the texas polluting machine as well, these rail tanks are hazardous materials! Unless heavily insured should not be allowed in the state! Again to have the means to deal with the catastrophic events we know are coming by the folks track records of that industry! Or do nothing, enabling the gop traitors on capitol hill, rape and plunder all our resources. Might even have to suggest the removal of this governor. Who I have always admired. Now something is wrong with him, like he has the same mental disease as the winner of the electoral college. But who lost the people's vote for the white house to the female democrat candidate by 3 million:) Don't care what party, religion you belong to, if you mean to hurt my state, ruin my country, my oath says you're my enemy. Joe6pK
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