A bill by a Tri-Counties legislator to plug some of the state’s estimated 40,000 idle oil wells is now on the governor’s desk, awaiting a decision as to whether he will sign it into law.
AB 1866 would require large operators to plug 15% of their idle wells in the first year of the law taking effect. The percentage would rise to 20% of the idle wells by 2030. Wells within 3200 feet of communities would also have to be prioritized.
Democratic Assemblyman Gregg Hart of Santa Barbara authored the legislation. Hart says nearly half of the 40,000 idle wells haven’t been in use for decades. Leaks from old well can cause air and water pollution, and threaten the environment.
He says some wells are at risk of becoming orphan wells. If the companies owning them go out of business, the state gets stuck dealing with them. One example is Summerland, where there are hundreds of orphaned wells on the coast.
