Cox, John. “Permitting Irregularity Prompts State to Idle 25 Oil, Steam Wells in Kern.” The Bakersfield Californian, 21 Aug. 2019, www.bakersfield.com/news/permitting-irregularity-prompts-state-to-idle-oil-steam-wells-in/article_48caddc2-c3a7-11e9-ace3-3b753c4e8edf.html?utm_campaign=CELPU&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_SFeydU3EIHene48QpJCFD_wNzfPv016Yg_fnB-E4dl6GyEDROZ4Nk1kC8iloDnDg0BL-Z.

Going back to Kern County and the oil spill, 25 Kern County oil and steam-injection wells have been idled in fear that they have never been given a proper regulatory review. The wells are owned by Chevron Corp. and Berry Petroleum Co. LLC. California’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources has been investigating how these wells were approved, due to a lack of documentation of this approval. They are concerned over the possibility of intentional misconduct, but are hoping that this was just a result of confusion over the new rules in April.

Most articles I’ve found have at least addressed the Kern County oil spill, because it’s such a large spill. So, there’s not much more I could say about it, besides the fact that I’m glad the Chevron has agreed to cooperate with DOGGR and the law. For me, this rules out the idea that this was a result of intentional misconduct, but I’m no investigator. I was glad that Chevron is willing to cooperate so that we can fix this mess and get back to saving our environment again, but because of the attention that this oil spill has brought, the news has been shedding a lot of light on the greed of many big companies, with higher-ups who will find ways to make profit at the cost of the environment.

Rogers, Paul. “New Report: California Has Five Times More Clean Energy Jobs than Fossil Fuel Jobs.” The Mercury News, The Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2019, www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/20/new-report-california-has-five-times-more-clean-energy-jobs-than-fossil-fuel-jobs/.

California’s renewable energy and climate laws have now increased the number of clean energy jobs, outnumbering fossil fuel jobs five to one.  The number of jobs in the fossil fuel industry did not include gas station employees. These clean energy jobs include building electric cars, windmills, and solar panels. 1 in 7 clean energy jobs in the United States are in California, and the only state with more clean vehicle jobs is Michigan. All these numbers are expected to change because of the new rules stating that all homes built starting in 2020 will be required to be powered by solar panels or a solar farm.

I’m glad that our state is working hard for the environment. It makes me happy that so much effort is being put in by California, but it makes me upset that we make up almost 15% of the clean energy jobs in the entire country. That shows that other states aren’t putting in as much effort, and California alone isn’t able to save the environment. It also slightly upsets me that we haven’t taken action much sooner, but late is better than never. This article is on the more positive side in comparison to other current articles regarding the petroleum and oil industry.

Catron, Derek. “Kern Spill Renews Oil Production Controversy.” Capitol Weekly, 21 Aug. 2019, capitolweekly.net/kern-spill-renews-oil-production-controversy/.

Gov. Gavin Newsom hopes for a decrease in the demand for oil and fossil fuels. The Chevron oil spill has called a lot of attention to the issue of petroleum and oil. The article states that Chevron used steam injection instead of oil extraction, which is described as “a chemical-free version of fracking.” Fracking is the process of injecting liquids deep into the ground in order to find petroleum through open fissures. Ken Harris, head of DOGGR, the division responsible for monitoring the petroleum industry, was fired in July. Newsom wants to put an end to controversial extraction methods like fracking, but does not believe that he has the legal power to do so.

I am also in favor of getting rid of controversial extraction methods like fracking. Corporations should stick to standard methods, just to be safe. As important as California’s oil industry is, I will always believe in prioritizing public health and safety, which was threatened by the Chevron oil spill. I believe that Newsom made the right decision in firing the head of DOGGR, because incidents like this oil spill are not easily forgiven. As for Newsom’s hope in the decrease in demand for oil and fossil fuels, I think he’s right, but it’s unrealistic to expect big companies to make sudden changes that will affect their profit. 

Wilson, Janet. “California Natural Resources Secretary Probing ‘Dummy’ Files at Oil and Gas Agency.” Desert Sun, Palm Springs Desert Sun, 14 Aug. 2019, www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/08/13/california-natural-resources-secretary-probe-dummy-oil-gas-files-doggr/2001602001/.

In response to a report on supposed “dummy” files by the state oil regulator, the California Natural Resources Agency is reviewing thousands of permits to ensure that they were all properly issued. According to employees at the regulator, the “dummy,” placeholder, files were “used by higher-ups to give petroleum companies a shortcut around legally required safety and environmental reviews.” Secretary Wade Crowfoot has been ordered to fire the state’s top oil and gas supervisor. Crowfoot also addressed the Chevron oil spill, stating that the field is being monitored and that penalties will likely be issued. Reviewing the permits a complicated process, made even more difficult with computer issues that the agency has been facing.

I think it’s terrible that petroleum companies are so filled with greed that they are willing to go to great lengths just to destroy the environment. This article really sheds light on how selfish big corporations could be. This system of permits is in place in order to protect the environment while using our resources most effectively, and selfish corporations and higher-ups prioritize their own personal gain over public health and safety. While reading this article, I was thinking about Gifford Pinchot and how his methods are ideal, but not realistic. While some companies and fair and get their permit properly, others are more concerned for themselves.

Sahagun, Louis. “California’s Biggest Oil Spill in Decades Brings More Defiance than Anger from Locals.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2019, www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-26/california-oil-country-defiance. 

Just outside Kern County, there has been a growing oil leak from a Chevron Corp. well. Over 900,000 gallons of oil and brine have filled a dry creek in the oil field, resulting in a black lagoon. This poses a clear threat to the environment, and nearby residents. However, residents of McKittrick are more concerned about the oil industry than the environment. They are well aware that this oil leak could be a reason to shut down California’s oil industry. Environmentalists and others want to “prioritize our public health and our environment over corporate polluters’ profits” while oil field locals claim that “environmentalists have it all wrong.”

I am definitely in favor of prioritizing our public health. The locals’ vision is clouded, considering many of them are oil field workers and rely on their jobs. However, I think this mindset is a bit selfish because these locals would rather let Chevron Corp. pollute the land than find new jobs and save the land. My final opinion is that this growing oil leak is a clear threat to our environment that should be addressed. I had no idea that locals would favor Chevron Corp. over environmental health, and I am almost shocked that people who live so close to the leak are the least concerned about it.