Oil, oil, everywhere

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The easiest way to stay up-to-date on all of the oil industry's slimy, polluting and oily news in California.

Fracked Up

It’s been a bad week for fracking (though we’d be hard pressed to find a good one). New studies and reports are confirming our worse suspicions about the health and environmental impacts, including:

Over half of California’s fracking wastewater is stored in pits that allowed the water to seep out and contaminate groundwater, according to a new independent study. What’s more, frackers face few restrictions of the chemicals used - the study found 316 chemical additives, including some that possess real risks to humans and wildlife.

Fracking disproportionately affects low income and Latino children, according to a court case. Children going to schools close to active oil wells have higher risks of respiratory disease and psychological stress. At one school in Kern County (where the student body is 80 percent Latino) children often skip recess because of poor air quality.

As the drought continues, more farmers are turning to chemical-filled wastewater to water crops - including one with certified organic operations.

Oil Spills

While we’ve known about the oil industry’s reckless disregard for safety measures, they’ve been upping the incompetence of late.

A truck full of oil tipped over in the Central Valley, spilling more than 300 gallons and shutting down a state highway.

A California rainstorm resulted in not one but TWO pipelines cracking in San Luis Obispo.

One pipeline in Canada leaked 1.32 million gallons of oil over two weeks before anyone noticed.

Oil by Rail

California is getting closer to rejecting the ill-conceived oil-by-rail proposal from Phillips 66. Santa Barbara became the latest city to come out against the proposal, which would bring 2.5 million gallons of toxic crude oil through densely populated parts of the state every day. Santa Barbara joins more than 40 other municipalities to speak against the proposal.

Californians are concerned about the effects of climate change and support new steps to address the problem, according to a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Lying Liars: The oil industry blamed an oil shortage for high gas prices in the Golden State – then exported 100 million gallons to Mexico.

California’s national parks flunked its air quality exam after a study revealed ozone levels at some of California’s parks are reaching unhealthy levels in the summer.

Fighting Back: A low-income family in Perris received free solar panels, courtesy of new state climate investment funds.

Big Profits: Oil refineries have practically DOUBLED the amount they take home on every gallon of gas sold. Boom for them, dirty air and water for us.

After almost a year without one, The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration just appointed a safety chief. Thank goodness nothing went wrong during that time!

People Power: Hipsters in Portland stopped Shell Oil’s Ice Breaker by suspending off a bridge. The rig is trying to get to the Rose City for repairs en route to drilling in the arctic.