FRESNO (KMJ) — A vocal group of elected officials from up and down the State of California have called on Governor Jerry Brown to take action on oil and gas production, challenging his credentials as a climate leader.
Elected Officials to Protect California wants a stop on permits for new fossil fuel projects, drilling within 2,500 feet of homes, and committing to 100% renewable energy.
“Climate leaders don’t drill 20,000 new oil and gas wells,” said group coordinator Dominic Frangello.
The group includes council members from Oakland, Richmond, and the Vice Mayor of Berkeley.
“Elected officials are standing up saying we really need the state to step in and to start phasing out this industry that’s causing so much damage to public health. It’s really a public health emergency, and its time for Governor Brown to act.”
That message has already been taken to the streets of Oakland, Sacramento, and Fresno.
In response, the Governor’s Office said California is reducing its use of oil, but the rest of the world needs to curb its use as well.
“The state is committed to cutting consumption in half,” wrote Evan Westrup in a statement to KMJ News. “At the same time, oil production in California has dropped 56 percent.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
