Following Governor Brown’s State of the State address today, Gabriela Garcia, a victim of urban oil drilling in Los Angeles joined health professionals and members from the Oil Money Out Campaign, a coalition of environmental, advocacy and political groups at a press conference on the steps of the state capitol delivering 80,000 petitions to Governor Brown calling for oil money out of California politics.
Gabriella Garcia, whose family lives near LA’s oil wells, shared her personal experience and health problems that resulted within her family and community due to living in close proximity of urban oil drilling. She was joined by Melissa Johnson-Camacho, RN, as well as other experts and advocates, who sent a clear message to Governor Brown demanding he listen to state scientists who have determined in the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) report that fracking and urban oil drilling are dangerous for Californians.
“I’ve watched my community suffer enough. It is a human right to breathe clean air, no matter where you live, and I shouldn't have to tell my children, we can’t walk to the park today because the air in our neighborhood will make us sick,” said Garcia, long time Los Angeles resident and member of People Not Pozos (People not Wells).
To read and view my photo essay on the event, go to: www.indybay.org/…
To see the complete video of the event, go to: https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1799812803364982/
In 2015, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) report, mandated by SB 4, the state’s law on fracking, determined that fracking and urban drilling are dangerous for California, according to David Braun, director of Rootskeeper and Oil Money Out. It urged mandatory human health buffer zones around all oil operations to protect public health. [1] To date, none of the scientific recommendations have been implemented, leaving communities and individuals vulnerable to impacts.
"What's the point of doing studies, and then not implement the recommendations?" said Braun. "Thanks to independent state scientists, we know oil drilling, which utilizes extremely dangerous chemical agents, is toxic for our water, air and communities. Sadly, the fact that the Brown administration has not made better efforts to enact mandated scientific protections seriously calls into question his environmental leadership, not to mention his legacy."
According to an analysis of data from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, oil companies used more than 98 million pounds — or 49,000 tons — of chemicals known to cause serious health effects in humans (“air toxics”) in Los Angeles County between June 2013 and February 2017. Notably, of the most commonly used air toxics, over 10 million pounds of Hydrofluoric Acid and 120,000 pounds of ethylbenzene were used in drilling operations.
“This is a matter of public health,” said Melissa Johnson-Camacho, RN, speaking on behalf of the California Nurses Association. “Keeping oil in the ground means this toxic substance and the chemicals associated with extraction methods won't cause asthma, heartache and suffering when people are exposed to it. Nurses see the consequences in the emergency room of drilling too close to homes, of fracking chemicals and of oil waste water poisoning food. It has to stop."
“Catering to fossil fuel interests, Governor Brown has refused to reign in the oil and gas operations that harm Californians and drive the climate crisis,” said Brian Nowicki, the Center for Biological Diversity’s California climate policy director. “We can’t afford to let dirty oil money hold us back from a clean energy future.”
Braun said California has a reputation of leading the fight for environmentally friendly policies, yet the reality is that it has an oil problem. In the 2016 legislative session, the oil industry spent an historic $36.1 million to lobby California lawmakers. Environmental and public health advocates’ efforts to protect the environment have been thwarted because of the financial power of the fossil fuel industry. Californians are fed up with pay-to-play politics. It’s time they put the people’s best interest first.
Braun said the mainstream Democratic candidates for governor have signed a pledge to swear off oil money. If Jerry Brown wants to live up to his rhetoric, he needs to demonstrate that real climate leaders prioritize public health over oil industry profits. They don't enable the worst climate polluters and allow drilling to expand.
“Oil money has corrupted our democracy in California, still one of the top oil-producing states in the nation despite its efforts to lead on climate,” says RL Miller of Climate Hawks Vote. “That’s why we experienced the spectacle of the oil industry literally dictating the cap and trade bill, and Jerry Brown acting as Chevron’s stenographer. I’m pleased to have worked on getting all of the serious candidates for our next governor to sign the pledge not to take oil money.”
"Jerry Brown has refused to start turning off the oil spigot as donations and lobbying dollars continue to flow from Big Oil. It’s time for his actions to match his words decrying the existential threat of climate change. Politicians should say no to money from Big Oil and Brown should say no to any new permits for Big Oil drilling and other infrastructure,” said Liza Tucker, Consumer Advocate for Consumer Watchdog
“For far too long, our elected officials have failed to take action to end fracking and other forms of dangerous drilling that expose workers and the public alike to cancer-causing chemicals. Enough is enough. With scientific evidence that exposure to toxic chemicals can increase our risk of developing breast cancer, it’s time for our legislators to put public health before corporate profit,” said Karuna Jaggar, Executive Director, Breast Cancer Action
The 80,000 petitions calling for California politicians to stop taking oil money were collected by CREDO, Rootskeeper, Other 98, Friends of the Earth, Daily Kos, People Demanding Action, Progressive Democrats of America, Amazon Watch, Breast Cancer Action, Center for Biological Diversity, Stand.Earth, Climate Hawks Vote, Courage Campaign, Earthjustice, Food and Water Watch, Greenpeace, Root Strikers, California for Progress, Earthworks, 350 Silicon Valley, Sunflower Alliance, and others.
Footnote:
1. CCST (California Council on Science and Technology Report 2015) Vol. II, p. 433.