Kern County supervisors are once again considering sweeping changes to the county’s oil and gas zoning ordinance — a move that could streamline the permitting process for up to 2,697 new wells each year.
- The proposed revisions would introduce a new tiered land-use structure, enhanced environmental standards under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and a two-track permitting system aimed at expediting applications across unincorporated areas of the county.
- Summarize who, what, when, where.
Kern County supervisors are once again considering sweeping changes to the county’s oil and gas zoning ordinance — a move that could streamline the permitting process for up to 2,697 new wells each year.
The proposed revisions would introduce a new tiered land-use structure, enhanced environmental standards under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and a two-track permitting system aimed at expediting applications across unincorporated areas of the county.
“We’ve been crippled by permitting issues,” said oil producer Chad Hathaway, owner of Hathaway LLC which operates around 300 oil wells…