Fracking In Ventura County (CA)

Here's the latest from CFROG.  You may remember them from my commentary on the glorious democratic process in Ventura in May,  Fracking the Ojai Valley, Pts 1 and 2. (Scroll down the Blog to read them)

CFROG say:

"Citizens for Responsible Oil & Gas was born in May 2013 when a small oil company received routine permission to drill nearly a dozen new wells in the Upper Ojai without any review of possible problems that such an increase could bring. We appealed the approval to the Planning Commission. We lost. But we were able to attach Ventura County’s first “no fracking” provision to the CUP and stop the illegal use of an access road that the company had been misusing for 17 years."

I have to point out that I don't remember a “no fracking” provision" to the Conditional Use Permit, or a "ban on the illegal use of an access road" , but maybe I dozed off, like one of the Planning Commissioners. If CFROG would care to post a Comment, correcting me, I'd be happy.

If you live in the area, you should join CFROG.  Here's what CFROG membership entails:

(It's Papa Lennon's pizzeria in Meiner's Oaks)

CFROG's message continues:

"After that hearing we stepped back and looked at the big picture, and saw that one small oil lease as just one tentacle on a much larger, more troubling problem.  So we doubled down and expanded, reached out to friends and neighbors for startup money, and now we are ready for prime time and reaching out to you.

CFROG exists out of a deep concern about oil extraction techniques – including fracking and acidization – in use in Ventura County with almost no oversight and exempt from any meaningful environmental review. 

The California oil and gas industry (which also began in Upper Ojai) has been a part of Ventura County since the 1860s. And yet, amazingly, many of the regulations under which the industry operates have not changed since the days of the Wild West.

California is poised for a new oil boom as technology makes it possible to extract heavy crude oil reserves – like the Monterey Shale below Ventura County – that until now have been unreachable using traditional methods. The new methods are highly controversial - over 70% of Californians are against fracking in our State.

As we face a third year of drought, we must ask: does Ventura County have the water reserves for enhanced oil extraction? Is it a safe practice in an earthquake zone? Will our home values or tourism be negatively affected? How do we balance the 7400 jobs provided by the oil & gas industry with the 31,000 jobs supplied by agriculture? How do we maintain the quality of life we are so fortunate to enjoy?

CFROG believes that the citizens of Ventura County have a right to weigh in. 

We are a small, committed group of local residents coming together to act as a citizen watchdog to help monitor, report, litigate if necessary and educate the community on an issue that affects our drinking water, our jobs, the value of our homes and the water available to farms.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your help. Become a CFROGGER!

You can lead the way for a safe and thriving Ventura County by doing three simple things:

1. Visit our website  http://www.cfrog.org/   and click on the “Join Us” button at the top of the page. Becoming a CFROGGER will keep you in the loop about legislation, planned actions and events.  While you’re there, take a look around. There’s a lot of useful information for you."