SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws Wednesday to reduce oil and gas pollution — the Democrat’s latest move in an ongoing battle against the fossil fuel industry and its impacts on the environment and public health.
The new laws set out to give local governments more authority to restrict oil and gas operations, close more so-called “idle wells” that aren’t in use but haven’t been properly sealed and closed, and fine companies for operating low-producing oil wells in the Inglewood Oil Field near Los Angeles. The legislation will help hold the oil industry accountable and protect communities from the impacts of pollution, Newsom said as he joined advocates and local officials at a park near the Inglewood Oil Field. “It’s been a long journey that we’ve been on over the course of many, many years,” he said said.
“But tremendous progress is being made.” Newsom’s decision to sign the bills comes as he is fighting against the oil industry, which he called the “polluted heart of this climate crisis,” to try to pass a proposal aimed at at the pump. He has tried to strengthen California’s status as a climate leader during his time as governor.
His administration passed rules phasing out fossil-fuel powered , , and . The state plans to achieve , meaning it will remove as many carbon emissions from the atmosphere as it emits, by 2045. Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, said the law.
