Barrels of Oil

The oil industry has spent millions of dollars to fool us into believing that Measure P will result in an “oil and gas shutdown” with catastrophic consequences to jobs and tax revenues. This false campaign is designed to draw our attention from the real issue.

The oil companies don’t want to discuss the significant threats to our water supplies. But they also don’t want you to know that they plan to expand drilling in the county to unprecedented and frightening levels.

For example, Santa Maria Energy has announced plans to drill 7,753 wells in addition to the 136 wells that are already approved — a 50-fold increase. Chinese-owned ERG Resources said it will expand production in the county to 20,000 bbl/day, compared with its 2013 production of 2300 bbl/day.

Fueling these expansion plans are the extreme extraction techniques Measure P would ban. Blessed with abundant natural beauty, a growing tourism industry, and a long agricultural tradition that has blossomed into world-class grape and wine production, the rampant expansion of oil production does not belong here. And the benefits will go to companies from outside the county, the state, and even the country.

So it’s no wonder the oil industry has tried to distract us with false scare tactics to keep us from considering what our county will look like without Measure P. Just drive east into Kern County and have a look at the vision these out-of-town oil companies have for our future.

Don’t be fooled. Vote “yes” on Measure P.