An environmental organization has filed a lawsuit against the city of Long Beach, alleging that the city approved a five-year plan for oil and gas drilling without conducting an assessment to ensure compliance with state environmental protection requirements.
The Center for Biological Diversity, in its lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims that the city has never completed an environmental review of drilling operations in the city, which is a violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
“It is unacceptable that Long Beach has never conducted an environmental review of its oil and gas operations,” said Emily Jeffers, an attorney for the Center. “California has strong environmental and health protection laws for a reason, and Long Beach has chosen to ignore them. The city must uphold the law and fulfill its duty to protect Californians from oil and gas pollution.”
A representative for the city stated that they have not yet received the lawsuit, but once they do, they will review it and take appropriate action to represent the city’s interests.
“As this matter is pending litigation, the city cannot provide further information at this time,” the city’s statement read. “However, as the trustee for the state of California in operating the oil field, the city takes its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously and complies with all state requirements for oil management plans and necessary environmental approvals.”
The lawsuit is a result of the City Council’s approval of a five-year plan for oil drilling in March, which was then submitted to the State Lands Commission. The commission reviewed the plan and recommended changes, which were made. However, the commission stated in its staff report that CEQA did not apply to the plans.
The Center argues that given the environmental risks associated with drilling operations, the plan should be subject to state review requirements.
According to the lawsuit, over 30% of Long Beach residents live within 3,200 feet of an active oil and gas well within the city limits, and 72.4% of those residents affected are people of color.
“Drilling for oil and gas is a polluting industry, and the residents of Long Beach deserve to know the impact these operations have on their air and health,” Jeffers emphasized. “While Long Beach claims to be transitioning to a carbon-neutral future, the emissions from this drilling are a significant threat that the city is failing to address.”
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