February 28, 2014 – The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, gravel packing and other well stimulation techniques until the council decides that state and federal regulations adequately protect the city’s residents from the alleged risks associated with these methods.
The Council’s motion would affect “companies conducting fracking within the City or in areas providing drinking water to the City,” requiring them to “mitigate the effects on climate change, protect environmental quality and natural resources, [and] promote community awareness.” It would allow government access to and testing of chemicals used in well stimulation, regulate wastewater disposal, and require disclosure and testing of treated wells.
When the moratorium is enacted, Los Angeles would become the largest city in the nation to ban fracking, and the first oil-producing city in California to do so, said Rock Zierman, chief executive of the California Independent Petroleum Assn.
The effect of the ban on existing wells within the city limits is unclear, acknowledged proponents of the moratorium. The language of the proposed ban would cover not only acidizing used to stimulate production, but small amounts of acid used to remove mineral scale during routine maintenance of wells.
Of 218 wells in the county treated with well stimulation in 2013, only 17 are in the city. None within the city were stimulated with hydraulic fracturing. There are currently 1,880 active oil and gas wells in the county, and 2,932 inactive wells.
“This is a solution looking for a problem,” Zierman said, noting that a year-long study of the Inglewood Oil Field found that hydraulic fracturing had no adverse effect on health or the environment.
Industry representatives commented on the proposal at a public hearing on Tuesday, February 25th. Nick Ortiz, of Western States Petroleum Assn., said well stimulation methods had “never been associated with any confirmed case of groundwater contamination.
Opponents of fracking used more colorful language. “It’s time to stop this crazy practice. Stop the insanity,” declared Councilman Paul Koretz, who co-authored the moratorium. Councilman Mike Bonin, the other co-author, called hydraulic fracturing “energy production by Dr. Strangelove,” describing it as “fracturing of the earth, breaking up and shattering the earth in an area riddled with earthquake faults.”
The Council instructed City Attorney Mike Feuer to draft regulations barring well stimulation techniques under the city’s zoning laws. The moratorium would remain in effect until the City Council is convinced that state and federal regulations bring these techniques into compliance with the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.