Carson has adopted the most stringent regulations on oil and gas production in the state on top of its ban on aggressive well-stimulation practices known as fracking and acidizing.
The soon-to-be new laws, which have been introduced but not yet finalized, stem from a resident protest two years ago in response to Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s now-abandoned plan to drill 200 new oil and gas wells. The city, they argued, has too many industrial operations causing environmental and health problems.
Carson has been the subject of major contamination cases, including the ongoing cleanup project in the Carousel tract neighborhood, where a former oil-tank farm left tons of toxic waste across the 50-acre site.
The new code was approved on a 4-0 vote early Wednesday morning during a lengthy meeting that began Tuesday night. The proposed ordinance makes an about-face from existing policy on oil and gas production that is largely hands-off. It introduces tight regulations on every detail of such operations, from landscaping to safety plans to air-quality monitoring. City staff partnered with Marine Research Specialists to develop the new rules. It establishes a petroleum administrator position to oversee industry operations and ensure their compliance.
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