SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on Senate Bill 1137 – a bill the Governor signed in September 2022 to keep new oil wells 3,200 feet away from homes, schools and parks.

The law is now on pause following today’s certification by the Secretary of State that a referendum on the bill has qualified for the 2024 ballot.

“It’s one thing for Big Oil to make record profits as they rip off Californians at the pump. It’s quite another to push to continue harmful drilling near daycares and schools and our homes. Greedy oil companies know that drilling results in more kids getting asthma, more children born with birth defects, and more communities exposed to toxic, dangerous chemicals – but they would rather put our health at risk than sacrifice a single cent of their billions in profits.

“I proudly signed SB 1137 last year to stop new oil drilling in our neighborhoods and protect California families. Big Oil knows that California is moving beyond fossil fuels, so on their way out these corporations are doing everything they can to squeeze out profits as they pollute our communities. We’re not standing for it. California will hold Big Oil accountable, and it starts with passing our price gouging penalty to prevent extreme gas price spikes like the one we saw last fall.”