California’s goal to become an eco-friendly state might take another step forward.
The state’s oil and gas regulator proposed Thursday a ban on new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of all schools, homes, and hospitals. If enacted, the ban would be the largest drilling buffer zone between oil wells and communities in the United States, according to the Associated Press.
“Extracting oil is a dirty business and it’s had a real impact on Californians,” said Jared Blumenfeld, California’s secretary for environmental protection. “Often we frame it as: it’s about air pollution, it’s about climate change — this is really about helping communities and community health near these facilities.”
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At 2,000 feet, Colorado currently has the largest buffer zone requirement in the U.S. Environmental groups originally sought a less drastic 2,500-foot buffer between new oil drills and communities that still would have exceeded Colorado’s restrictions.
The proposal comes just over two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a ban on selling off-road, gas-powered engines. The ban includes lawnmowers, weed trimmers, and chainsaws, and new machines must either be battery-powered or plug-in.
California experienced a 126,000-gallon oil leak which forced beaches to close down for a week as the leak was cleaned up. It is unclear what exactly caused the leak, though the Coast Guard boarded the MSC DANIT on Saturday, which it believes could be responsible for the spill.
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Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
