On this edition of Your Call’s One Planet Series, we discuss oil drilling in California neighborhoods. More than seven million Californians live within a mile of oil and gas drilling operations and 84 percent of wells are located in places categorized by the federal government as medically underserved areas or populations, according to a Grist analysis based on data from CalGEM, the California Department of Education, and the California Health and Human Services department.
Living in proximity to oil wells has been linked to a range of health issues, including nosebleeds, migraines, rashes, respiratory problems, and long-term impacts.
We'll also find out why refinery trade unions in California are fighting to protect the fossil fuel industry and why California State Senator Bob Hertzberg, a Democrat who represents a section of the eastern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, helped tank key California climate bills.
Guests:
Alexandria Herr, award-winning environmental journalist
Aaron Miguel Cantú, investigative reporter
Web Resources:
Grist: California’s dirty little secret: Oil wells in the backyard
Capital & Main: How Trade Unions and Climate Advocates in California Can Forge an Alliance
The Los Angeles Times: The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California’s multibillion-dollar problem
Capital & Main: Meet the Senator at COP26 Who Helped Tank Key California Climate Bills
Capital & Main: How Trade Unions and Climate Advocates in California Can Forge an Alliance
Capital & Main: In Protecting Good Oil and Gas Jobs, Some California Trade Unions Clash With Climate Activists