The debate continues over controversial plans for a major expansion of an onshore oil drilling field on the Central Coast. ERG Resources wants to drill 233 new wells at its Cat Canyon facility, about 10 miles southeast of Santa Maria.
The company says the wells are in an existing oil field area, and many of the wells would use existing well pads, helping to minimize environmental impacts. Opponents contend there are serious environmental concerns including the potential for spills, air and noise pollution, and increased traffic. County planners recommend a scaled down version of the project, with the number of wells trimmed from 233 to 187.
After a second marathon session Wednesday, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission decided to resume its review of the proposal May 29th.