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Legislation Which Would Address Abandoned Oil Wells Off South Coast Reaches Governor's Desk

The Summerland area is home to nearly 200 old abandoned offshore oil wells

Legislation intended to help get some abandoned oil wells off the South Coast properly sealed is headed to the Governor’s desk.

The State Assembly passed SB 44, which would require the State Lands Commission to plug so-called “orphaned” oil wells off the California coastline. There are hundreds of the abandoned wells off the coast drilled by companies which went out of business decades ago.

Democratic State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara authored the legislation as a result of concerns created by about 200 abandoned wells off the Santa Barbara County coastline.

The Governor vetoed similar legislation last year over questions about funding for the effort.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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