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.