Call on Governor Newsom and California Oil Regulators to Protect Public Health and Safety — Not Big Oil

Governor Gavin Newsom & CalGEM

For decades, youth and frontline communities across California have been fighting to protect our health and futures from the toxic oil industry. We know that these same communities are most at risk for devastating impacts due to COVID-19 and a shuttered economy.

California remains one of the largest oil-producing states in the nation. Over five million Californians live less than a mile from an active oil well, with drilling disproportionately concentrated in low-income communities of color. A growing body of public health data reaffirms that the health risks of living near an oil and gas well include exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, asthma attack-inducing emissions, and the threat of catastrophic accidents or explosions.

As young Californians, we find ourselves at a global crossroads: Will our leaders protect our future or a handful of fossil fuel executives?

Governor Gavin Newsom has established California as a global leader on health and safety protections for communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Newsom has the historic opportunity and obligation to extend this same leadership to the state’s ongoing fossil-fueled climate and health emergencies.

We need the Governor and the State of California to lead by creating a 2,500-foot health-and-safety buffer zone between fossil fuel infrastructure and homes, schools and other sensitive sites; ending approval of new fossil fuel projects; and protecting the livelihoods of fossil fuel workers who have served all Californians at great personal risk. In addition, Gov. Newsom must ensure that recovery investments in the energy sector go towards a just transition to zero emissions, sustainable energy technologies and equitable programs that will support healthy communities free of pollution—not to fossil fuel production or infrastructure.

Tell Governor Newsom and CalGEM that it’s time to protect health and safety from Big Oil!

*Given California’s reputation as a global leader on climate and environmental policy, we encourage you to submit a public comment no matter where you’re located in the world. Please customize with your own personal message/story! Personalized messages have a much stronger impact on decision-makers.


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To: Governor Gavin Newsom & CalGEM
From: [Your Name]

Governor Gavin Newsom has established California as a global leader on health and safety protections for communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Newsom and the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) have the historic opportunity and obligation to extend this same leadership to the state’s ongoing fossil-fueled climate and health emergency.

For decades, California’s oil industry has enjoyed a blank check to drill for fossil fuels in the center of communities where people live, work, play and pray. Over five million Californians live within a mile of an active oil well, with drilling disproportionately concentrated in low-income communities of color.

Frontline communities living next to fossil fuel infrastructure are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals, asthma attack-inducing emissions, and the threat of catastrophic accidents or explosions. Given these chronic health burdens, these same communities now are most at risk for devastating impacts due to COVID-19 and a shuttered economy.

I urge Governor Newsom and CalGEM to create a 2,500-foot health-and-safety buffer zone between fossil-fuel infrastructure and homes, schools and other sensitive sites; end the approval of new fossil fuel projects; and protect the livelihoods of fossil fuel workers who have served all Californians at great personal risk. In addition, Gov. Newsom must ensure that recovery investments in the energy sector go towards a just transition to zero emissions, sustainable energy technologies and equitable programs that will support healthy communities free of pollution—not to fossil fuel production or infrastructure.