Santa Barbara County Supervisors Vote to Ban New Onshore Oil Drilling
The Santa Barbara County Supervisors have voted to ban new onshore oil drilling in the county. The decision, made by a 3-2 vote, marks the first step towards phasing out all onshore oil development across the county.
The last time a new drilling proposal was approved took place in 2014. According to supervisors, the ban will be implemented gradually through an amortization process that could take up to three years to determine how long it will last.
Environmental activists have been pushing for an end to onshore oil production, citing a UCSB report estimating that toxic chemicals released during oil production cost the county $54 million to $81 million in health costs.
Oil company employees and industry supporters argued that the loss of well-paying jobs would be devastating, pointing out that Santa Barbara's oil is produced under more pristine environmental conditions than many countries where California's imported oil comes from. Roughly 70% of all oil consumed in California is imported.