Opponents to Measure P — the November ballot measure looking to stop all new fracking, acidizing, and cyclic-steaming wells — continue to clobber supporters on the fundraising front, upping their regional campaign coffers to more than $1.8 million. Statewide political committee Californians for Energy Independence recently pumped $1.6 million to the “No on P” team. The area’s oil industry — Santa Maria Energy, Venoco, ERG Operating Company, Pacific Coast Energy Company, and Aera — has chipped in, as has the account for Measure M ($4,000), the defeated June infrastructure-funding initiative led by Supervisor Peter Adam, who opposes Measure P. The “Yes on P” group has amassed about $106,000, including $35,000 raised from an online campaign in the last week of August.
