California oil regulators released a new set of rules pertaining to the extraction of oil through fracking and other methods. The companies extracting the natural resources have to have a specific monitoring system during the process. They must also notify people living in the communities near the extraction sites, in Spanish and English, of their rights to get the ground water tested. These rules apply to fracking on land and in the ocean as well.

This process will ensure a safer procedure, and will inform the residents of what is happening around their homes and schools. The Center of Biological Diversity says the regulations do little to protect the environment, and more to inform the public of what is happening. The Western States Petroleum Association also says the regulations are a “transparency”, and make people think that change is being made.  

News, AP (2014, June 17) California releases revised fracking regulations. Retrieved September 7, 2014 from http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-06-17/california-releases-revised-fracking-regulations

With the approval of the federal government, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin leasing public land for fracking early next year. The California Council on Science and Technology was in charge of conducting research, and they found did not find evidence of water contamination. Although the scientists were only given seven months to carry out their research, and are asking for the bill to be postponed until further experiments can take place.

Environmental groups understand that there are serious health issues cause by the chemicals used during fracking, and call for a moratorium until more evidence is presented. Even the scientists that preformed the experiments are hesitant to give statements and publish articles on the subject, more data is needed. The experiments also asked questions that could not be answered or proved. “Investigators could not determine the groundwater quality near many hydraulic fracturing operations and found that existing data was insufficient to evaluate the contamination”.

Julie, C. (2014, August 28) Fracking report clears way for California oil, gas leasing to resume. Retrieved September 7, 2014 from http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fracking-report-20140829-story.html

The city of Beverley Hills has successfully banned fracking. The leaders of the city council do not believe that fracking is helping their area; it is just making the environment worse. Council member John Mirsch is looking at the long term affects, and does not believe that blasting water and sand into the ground below them and releasing dangerous chemicals is best for the environment. He also hopes that other cities and counties and eventually Governor Jerry Brown will follow in their beliefs and practices.

Environmentalists say there is not safe method for fracking. Also, the US Geological Survey say that there fracking is closely linked to the air and water pollution in California, and around the world. Fracking is also believed to be the cause of the resent increase of earthquakes. On the other hand the California Department of Conservation reports that fracking has been around for more than 30 years, and no problems have been reported.

Lydia, O. (2014, April 24) California City Becomes First To Vote To Ban Fracking. Retrieved September 7, 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/24/beverly-hills-fracking-ban_n_5208377.html

When fracking was just starting, oil companies offered California large sums of money to drill for natural gas. Now there is estimated less than 4% of recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale area. Governor Jerry Brown endorses fracking an other types of oil extraction such as acidification. In a recent poll in is reported that two-thirds of Californians are against fracking. Oil companies are proposing new, less toxic ways of extracting the fossil fuels.

Many of the large oil companies are drilling near schools and largely populated communities. New state laws a supposed to impose more strict guidelines on the oil industry, but neglect to mention rules about fracking and acidification. Fracking exploits fossil fuel reserves and releases large amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere, a dangerous greenhouse gas. Oil companies also have federal permission to dump 9 billion gallons of waste water a year, including fracking fluid, directly into the ocean off California’s coast.

Kassie, S. (2014, May 23). Busted Boom Challenges Gov. Brown to Halt California Fracking. Retrieved September 7, 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kassie-siegel/busted-boom-challenges-go_b_5377429.html

Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock layers deep within the earth. Large amounts of water and chemicals are inserted into these deep natural gas chambers, in order to help the gas break through to the surface. Lake Oroville is California’s second largest reservoir, and because of the severe drought in California it has only two-thirds of the water it -should have. Anti-fracking activists are using these statistics in their favor. They are also saying that the recent earthquakes are due to the amount of fracking happening in California.

The average four person family uses about 146,000 gallons a year and about 127,127 gallons of water was used to frack a single oil well in California last year. Brackish water can be used during this process, but freshwater is less costly and easier to come by. By using freshwater fracking is hurting our environment and taking that water away from people, farmers, agriculture, and everything else that needs freshwater to survive. The procedure of fracking is also dangerous, and believed to be the cause of the earthquakes California has been experiencing.

Onishi, N. (2014, May 14). California’s Thirst Shapes Debate Over Fracking. Retrieved September 7, 2014 from http:www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/us/californias-thirst-shapes-debate-over-fracking.htm/module=Seach&mabReawrd=relbias%3Ar&_r=o