Legislation that would govern the well stimulation technique of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, continues to meet with success in the California legislature, as the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality approved two fracking-related bills, SB 4 (pdf) and SB 395 (pdf), at a hearing on May 1, 2013. We have previously summarized SB 4 (here and […]
On April 29, 2013, the California Assembly Committee on Natural Resources conducted a hearing on three proposed bills that would regulate hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the state. The bills — AB 649 (pdf), AB 1301 (pdf), and AB 1323 (pdf) — each of which would have the effect of imposing a moratorium on fracking, […]
Eleven bills related to the oil well stimulation technique of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, are currently wending their way through the California legislature. We have previously described each of the pending bills (here, here, here, here, and here). This and future posts will provide tabular summary updates on the current status of each of the […]
The reaction to and analysis of the recent decision (pdf) issued by Judge Paul Grewal in Center for Biological Diversity v. Bureau of Land Management has been extensive and fascinating. While the decision will impede the ability of oil and gas operators to conduct hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, operations on certain federal lands in California, […]
On April 15, 2013, four bills that would regulate hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in California received passing votes in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. We previously summarized each of the four bills under consideration – AB 7 (Wieckowski), AB 288 (Levine), AB 669 (Stone), and AB 982 (Williams). Since that summary, Assembly Member Wieckowski substantially […]
On April 4, 2013, California’s Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board) issued an investigative enforcement order to Vintage Production California (Vintage) arising out of allegations of improper disposal of fluids from hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” The order (pdf) arises out of an October 6, 2012, video recently posted to YouTube. The video (below) […]
In a hearing conducted today, Senator Fran Pavley’s comprehensive fracking bill, SB 4 (pdf), survived its first test before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water. The bill received a favorable 6-2 vote (Democrats Pavley, Evans, Hueso, Jackson, Monning, and Wolk in favor, Republicans Cannella and Fuller opposed) and will now move to the […]
On April 5, 2013, California’s Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) announced two additional stakeholder workshops to seek input on the “discussion draft” of proposed regulations (pdf) on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” Having already conducted such workshops in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and Sacramento, DOGGR will now conduct workshops in Santa Barbara and Monterey […]
The California legislature has been very active in the current session in proposing legislation that would regulate, directly or indirectly, the oil well stimulation technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” We have previously reported on certain of the bills pending in the current session. (See here and here.) The level of legislative activity in […]