Ten years ago, Loyola Law School professor Jennifer Levinson suggested that “ballot initiatives have harmed California.” While admitting that some initiatives “support worthwhile ideas or causes,” she couldn’t help noticing that “the process designed to guard against special interests, and specifically their influence over legislators, has now been turned on its head and is all but controlled by those interests. In order to qualify an initiative for the ballot one needs money, not a good idea.”
For Exhibit A in support of this argument, look no further than the currently circulating petition to get a referendum on the 2024 ballot that would, courtesy of the oil lobby and $17.9 million, repeal a state law requiring buffer zones around new oil drilling operations in or adjacent to neighborhoods.
As the oil lobbyists put it, “The petition seeks to put a repeal of Senate Bill 1137 before the voters, which instituted a statewide 3,200-foot oil well setback without any scientific basis.”
The last four words of that statement are one of many lies spreading outward from this initiative like ripples on a pond. When Senate Bill 1137 was signed into law last September, it promised to protect California communities by requiring a science-based, health-protective 3,200-foot buffer zone between new oil and gas operations and homes, hospitals, schools, parks, and other sensitive areas. It will protect communities from the adverse health effects that come with living near oil extraction operations in your neighborhood, including respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, developmental abnormalities, poor pregnancy outcomes, and cancer. The front-line communities most impacted by oil extraction have been fighting for that protection for more than a decade.
On Nov. 18, the California Geologic Energy Management Division issued a permit for the drilling of a new oil well in the Arroyo Grande Oil Field that would likely be within the area of the 3,200-foot buffer if the setbacks law were in effect.
The law should take effect on Jan. 1, 2023—emphasis on “should.” Even if the measure is defeated, just getting it onto the 2024 ballot will delay implementation of the law for two more years of oil wells going in next to homes, schools, parks, community centers, hospitals, and other sensitive areas. Two more years spreading chronic disease while raking in maximum profit, the reason for the ballot measure and the $18 million backing it.
Let’s get back to the lies spreading out from this initiative. Signature gatherers are nearing the deadline for the 623,000 valid signatures they need on their petitions to repeal oil well health and safety buffer zones, and they’ll say anything to make that happen.
You may have heard several deceptive come-ons while attempting to enter a grocery store or farmers’ market. One of the more popular: “Wanna sign a petition to put a measure on the ballot banning new oil wells near homes, schools, and hospitals?”—i.e. the opposite of what the ballot measure would do. Also popular: Claiming that the measure would “lower gas prices.” (By a show of hands, how many of you believe Big Oil wants to put a measure on the ballot that’s designed to cut into their profits?)
And no, California’s setback law is not an “energy shutdown.” SB 1137 was a major win for public health, and the oil industry is lying profusely while trying to override the state Legislature so it can continue to poison our communities.
Feel free to tell those signature gatherers all of the above. Or just walk away. You just helped stop Big Oil from padding its bottom line at the expense of public health. Tell your family and friends to do the same.
But here’s the urgently important part: If you were told any of the above misrepresentations by a petition signature gatherer, do these two things right now, today:
1. File a formal complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office using its webform. Under “Organization Against Whom Complaint Is Brought,” write: “Stop the energy shutdown, a coalition of small business owners, concerned taxpayers, local energy producers and the California Independent Petroleum Association.”
2. Email a description of your interaction with a misleading or fraudulent petition gatherer, including date and approximate time of the interaction and any photo or video you might have of the signature gatherers, to Aimee Dewing at aimee@lastchancealliance.org.
And if that deceptive come-on unfortunately worked and you signed the petition, no problem: You can un-sign it. Send an email to the county Elections Office saying you want your name removed from the petition, state the petition title (“Referendum Challenging 2022 Law Prohibiting New Oil and Gas Wells Near Homes, Schools, and Hospitals”), the date you signed, your name, address and signature. Send ASAP to SLO County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano via fax, (805) 781-1111, or email, elections@co.slo.ca.us. Δ
Andrew Christie is the director of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 15-25, 2022.
Please point us to the “scientific basis” for the 3200 ft exclusion.
The Director of the local Sierra Club, is whining about special interest groups involvement. Hello kettle, meet black.