California has vast oil reserves, as yet unused. These reserves are not easily accessible, since they are trapped inside the geologic formation called Monterey Shale, which underlies much of the Central Valley and the Central Coast, from Kern County in the south to Monterey County in the north. These oil reserves can be released by "fracking," or hydraulic fracturing techniques. Click the link if you would like to learn more about fracking.
Currently, California has virtually no regulations that specifically address the environmental perils associated with fracking, but the state is considering a suite of new regulations. Many think they are too weak, and the oil companies, of course, think they are unneeded.
We "legislate" the realities of our political world. The legislative and regulatory decisions we make lead to transformations in the World of Nature. The picture below is how oil rich areas in Monterey County look right now. The picture above is how they'll look if fracking proceeds. Looks aren't everything, of course. The main impacts of fracking are not "aesthetic."
A public hearing on the state's currently proposed fracking regulations will be held in Monterey tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30th. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Aguajito Road, from noon to 8:00 p.m. with a dinner break.
Click this link for the state's description of fracking.
Click this link for the current draft regulations.
Send an email to this address to make a comment.
(1) http://blogs.worldwatch.org/sustainabilitypossible/fracking-solution-or-problem/
(2) http://science.kqed.org/quest/audio/with-large-oil-reserve-california-faces-fracking-debate/
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