Wildomar Shows Support For Natural Gas Industry

As the state grapples with regulation of the natural gas industry, a bill supported by the Southern California Gas Company has received support from the City of Wildomar.

In a 4-1 vote on April 10, Wildomar City Council approved the drafting of a letter showing support for AB 1257 as requested by the giant utility.

The dissenting vote was cast by Councilman Bob Cashman, who warned that all facts are not in on natural gas extraction and he questioned why the city should weigh in on the issue now.

“It’s not all that obvious to me that this is a good idea,” Cashman said during the April 10 city council meeting.

Councilman Ben Benoit, who sits on the Southern California Air Quality Management District board, expressed a different opinion. He said the SCAQMD has shown support for natural gas as an alternative fuel source because, when burned, it emits less CO2 than traditional fuel sources.

“I fully support this. We have a lot of natural gas reserves in the U.S.,” he said.

Mayor Tim Walker argued that natural gas is cleaner and disputed controversy surrounding it.

“There is so much disinformation out there,” he said.

AB 1257 was introduced Feb. 22 by Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima). According to the bill’s text, if passed it would enact the Natural Gas Act. Under the bill, every four years the state’s Energy Commission would be required to submit a report to the legislature “identifying strategies to maximize the benefits obtained from natural gas as an energy source.” The bill would also require the governor to review the report and after any modifications declare it the natural gas policy of the state.

During the April 10 city council meeting, one person -- who identified herself only as Ms. Miller -- expressed opposition to the city’s support for AB 1257, arguing natural gas extraction is not clean technology. There were no other public speakers on the issue.

Natural gas extraction involves hydraulic fracturing — "fracking” — a controversial process that pumps millions of gallons of water mixed with fine sand and chemicals deep into oil and gas wells. Many environmentalists blame the practice on increased air pollution and gas leaks that contaminate well water, but federal and many state regulators say the practice is safe when done properly.

In California, fracking is largely unregulated. As the state grapples with the issue, a UC Berkeley Law School report released April 11 cites shortcomings in  California's oversight of the practice.

Last year, state lawmakers voted down AB 972, which would have banned hydraulic fracturing until California puts regulations on the practice. Additionally, AB 571, which would require natural gas companies and agencies to publicly disclose chemicals used in natural gas extraction, has stalled.

In its “Drilling Down” series, The New York Times examines the risks of natural-gas drilling and efforts to regulate the industry.

The lengthy series not only provides news articles, but also contains documents the Times received through open records requests of state and federal agencies. The documents show that at the highest levels there is both support for natural gas as a cleaner burning fuel, as well as concern about the environmental impacts of extraction.