A new California law is helping drive a surge in oil drilling permits in Kern County, with industry leaders saying the legislation has made the permitting process more predictable and opened the door for new jobs and investment across the region.
At the center of the shift is SB 237, a state law that took effect on Jan. 1. For many projects in Kern County, it allows the state to rely on the county’s environmental review process. California Resources Corporation says that change has made permitting more predictable.
“What that allowed for was streamlining the surface permitting requirements in order to secure a new drill permit from CalGEM,” CRC Vice President of Operations Brent Ilott said…