On August 20, 2015 the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, publicly noticed a proposal to expand the current aquifer exemption designation for the Dollie sands of the Pismo formation in the Arroyo Grande oil field (in unincorporated San Luis Obispo county near the intersection of Ormonde Road and Price Canyon Road). Subject to approval by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the proposed aquifer exemption would allow the State, in compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, to approve Class II injection into the identified area, either for enhanced oil recovery or for injection disposal of fluids associated with oil and gas production.
THE HEARING TIME AND PLACE
Monday, September 21, 2015 between 4 pm to 7 pm at the Courtyard Marriot, 1605 Calle Joaquin Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. Written comments can be submitted by email to Comments@conservation.ca.gov; by facsimile (FAX) to (916) 324-0948;
by mail to: Department of Conservation, 801 K Street, MS 24-02, Sacramento, CA 95814, ATTN: Aquifer Exemption; or by submitting them at the public comment hearing. The written comment period closes at 7 pm on September 21, 2015, and the Department will not consider any comments received at the Department’s offices after that time.
Arroyo Grande Oilfield Edna Member Dollie Sands Pismo Formation Aquifer Exemption Application(1).pdf
So, how many people know that one of the biggest oil spills in U.S. history, 20 million gallons, larger than the Exxon Valdez, happened at the Guadalupe Dunes over the course of 38 years and under the jurisdiction of the County Board of Supervisors? It is was duped the Silent Spill: The Organization of an Industrial Crisis. By Thomas D. Beamish and happened more or less because no one was paying attention and State agencies and BOS were missing in action. 1994.
The Guadalupe spill was not the only spill in the region. Who does not remember 400,000 gallons of crude oil, gas and asphalt that contaminated 5 square blocks of Avila Beach which resulted in Unocal purchasing and evacuating most of the town? 1989
Tank Farm. 1926 oil tanks struck by lightning burned for 5 days, millions of barrels of oil were either burned or were released below the surface of the property during the fire. The disaster left some residual oil impacts to soil and groundwater that still remain at the site today. SLO has an ordinance prohibiting oil drilling within City limits.
We have had to reinvent ourselves more than once because of oil disasters. We have transformed ourselves away from the early wildcat days to over a $2 billion a year thriving agriculture and tourist industry. Nothing to do with oil.
We don’t need oil to enhance or expound upon this very rich, bountiful, and beautiful little piece of nature’s best work we have right here in our own back yard. In fact given the past history and current state of affairs, drought, oil poses more risk and not a single benefit.
The world is watching us. This exemption is the first to come forth after the whole EPA, DOGGR fiasco and illegal dumping of waste water into protected aquifers. This is a line in the sand. This will set the bar for what happens next in communities across the State. This is where we must take a stand as a community united on all fronts. The oil trains are heading for the Board of Supervisors too and they will be attending these hearings as will Freeport.
They are going to be watching and sizing us up. We are going to give them something they have never seen before. A community that operates like a school of fish, an army of ants a murmuration of starlings.
http://www.wired.com/2011/11/starling-flock/
So, first lets bombard DOGGR with emails expressing our concerns about a healthy, safe environment free from the fear of fires, explosions, accidents, water contamination, subsistence, earthquakes, air pollution and release of exempted toxic gases known to the State of California to cause cancer. I will be collecting analysis, reports from our experts and sending them onto you if you need talking points.
If necessary we will have a briefing conducted by the experts that know this process and subject inside and out, Center for Biological Diversity, Food and Water Watch, Earth Justice,Forest Ethics, Clean Water Action, Sierra Club, David Braun. We will brain storm this hearing like candidates on the campaign trail.
If anyone has something to pass on and share for the group please send this way and will get it circulated. We have an amazing, extraordinary, diverse, well versed, talented group of people in our midst. LTE, op/eds to share send them along. And if everyone that gets this email mails it to one other person in another group and gets them to email someone they know, then we have a happening. This is happening.
Drilling is history. Oil trains are history. Diablo meeting its maker. What’s next? Fun in the sun and income too.
Stay tuned. The Board of Supervisors is going to be hearing from us again too. Mandated State EIR is in and they promised us, all 89,000 signatories a response to our ban on drilling. Going back to get an answer. More to come.
SLO Clean Water 