SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California law that bans drilling new oil wells near places like homes and schools will take effect soon after the oil industry said it would withdraw a referendum from the November ballot asking voters to block it., never took effect because the California Independent Petroleum Association gathered enough signatures to place a referendum on the ballot asking voters to overturn it.
California was once the nation’s leading oil producer over a century ago, but has since been surpassed by Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Colorado, Alaska and Oklahoma. Still, the oil industry has remained a powerful force in state politics, known for having its way at the state Legislature., along with the state’s oil production.
“Big oil saw what they were up against — and they folded, again,” Newsom said. “No parent in their right mind would vote to allow drilling next to daycares and playgrounds.”