The Trump Administration is on the move to expose roughly 273,000 acres of federal public lands and mineral rights, to hydraulic fracking and oil drilling in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. The watchdog organization, Los Padres ForestWatch, performed an analysis of official GIS data that pointed to the administration’s efforts and disclosed that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would be lighting their way.
Federal Public Lands and Mineral Rights Exposed to Oil Drilling and Hydraulic Fracking
A regional study was launched in August to evaluate the environmental and public health impacts caused by fracking. The study spanned 1.6 million acres and six counties across central California and was the first development in the administration’s attempts to advance the controversial oil extraction agenda. Drilling and fracking have lasting social and environmental impacts.
Related: France Says No to Fracking
What Can You Do to Help?
The BLM is now accepting comments about their study until September 7th. The public may submit statements directly to the BLM via an online portal at LPFW.org/fracking. Please urge the BLM to allow for a fair comment period, to conduct a thorough review of hydraulic fracking and its impacts on water, air, wildlife, and recreation, and to restrict oil development that impacts public lands.
Oil Extraction Causes Pollution and Damage to the Environment
Drilling and fracking near key sites like schools, conservation lands, state parks, national forests and monuments, state ecological reserves, and city-owned natural reserves, is misguided and in direct conflict with how local residents benefit from and enjoy these lands. If you have spent time at any of the targeted locations, please express your support for leaving them untouched by the oil industry, and for keeping them as places of refuge for generations to come.
