The usage of fracking technique of high-pressure water, chemicals, and sand has been used in California since approximately 2011, primarily in order to drill for oil. The controversial technique has been used in at least 1,900 California oil and gas wells by different “Big Oil” companies operating in the State. Regulators and lawmakers were accused by different environmentalist groups to know only very little about how and where oil companies employ techniques of hydraulic fracturing all over California. Since the dangerous effects of fracking on air, water, wildlife, public health and climate became more and more public, different environmental and other civil society movements have formed to protest against the usage of fracking in California. Environmentalists have sued the federal government in order to prevent oil companies from fracking on public lands in Monterey and Fresno counties. The Governor of California, Jerry Brown, has also been heavily criticized for not restricting oil companies in their fracking activities as much as demanded by civil society. In 2013, fracking regulations were included in Senate Bill 4 in California. In a joint letter to Governor Brown, Environmental Groups responded to the passing of the regulations, saying that the rules included in the bill “do not consider long-term and wide-ranging environmental, public health and economic consequences of fracking in California”. |
The four year fight in California by many environmentalist groups asking for a moratorium on fracking, still withough success
| Name of conflict: | Fracking in California, USA |
| Country: | United States of America |
| State or province: | California |
| Location of conflict: | Monterey, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles County |
| Accuracy of location | LOW (Country level) |
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Water access rights and entitlements Shale gas fracking |
| Specific commodities: | Crude oil Natural Gas |
| Project details | Fracking has been used in at least 1,900 California oil and gas wells by different “Big Oil” companies operating in the State. |
| Project area: | At least 417,230 hectares have been leased for fracking |
| Type of population | Urban |
| Affected Population: | Potential 10 – 14 million people (population of the counties where fracking is taking place) |
| Start of the conflict: | 01/01/2011 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Western States Petroleum Asociation (WSPA) from United States of America |
| Relevant government actors: | State of California Governor of California (Jerry Brown) |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Environment California: http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/ Clean Water Action, http://www.cleanwateraction.org/fracking-california Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org/ California against Fracking: http://californiansagainstfracking.org Courage Campaign: https://www.couragecampaign.org/ Daily Kos: www.dailykos.com/ 350.org: www.350.org Food and Water Watch: www.foodandwaterwatch.org Presente: http://www.presente.org Forecast the Facts: forecastthefacts.org/ |
| Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
| Reaction stage | PREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase) |
| Groups mobilizing: | Local ejos Local government/political parties Neighbours/citizens/communities Local scientists/professionals |
| Forms of mobilization: | Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Media based activism/alternative media Objections to the EIA Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Street protest/marches |
| Environmental Impacts | Potential: Desertification/Drought, Global warming, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity |
| Health Impacts | Potential: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…) |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Potential: Land dispossession, Loss of landscape/sense of place |
| Project Status | Planned (decision to go ahead eg EIA undertaken, etc) |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Court decision (undecided) New legislation New Environmental Impact Assessment/Study |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | Moratorium on Fracking |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | No |
| Briefly explain: | In 2013, fracking regulations were included in Senate Bill 4 in California. In a joint letter to Governor Brown, Environmental Groups responded to the passing of the regulations, saying that the rules included in the bill “do not consider long-term and wide-ranging environmental, public health and economic consequences of fracking in California”, including global warming. Since Governor Brown has continuously failed to address these violations and allegations of California residents, local social movements and residents are still fighting for a moratorium on fracking in California. |
| Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc) |
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| References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries |
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| Last update | 18/08/2019 |
| Conflict ID: | 1764 |