The Monterey County Board of Supervisors rejected a ban on hydraulic fracturing, opting instead to rely on state regulations that implement Senate Bill 4. The county is a significant producer of oil and gas.

The Board found “no evidence of an immediate threat to public health.” Supervisor Simon Salinas, whose district includes active oil and gas operations, said ‘We can’t regulate the industry county by county. I think we ought to give (the state) a chance and then monitor it.”

According to testimony prior to the Supervisors’ vote, hydraulic fracturing has not been used in Monterey County wells for more than a decade.

Employees of Key Energy spoke to the Board about their commitment to protecting the environment of the county, where they live and are raising their families. Others from the community spoke in support of the industry, citing good-paying jobs and independence from foreign sources of energy.