Pro-oil petition drive in California under question

BY DREW COSTLEY
AP Science Writer

Residents in several regions of California allege that they’ve been misled by signature gatherers over the last two months as a campaign, Stop the Energy Shutdown, pushed to gather enough signatures to get a referendum to overturn SB 1137 on the 2024 statewide ballot. SB 1137, a law passed to ban new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet (975 meters) of schools, homes and hospitals, was signed into law by California Gov. Newsom in September. Passage of this so-called setback rule to keep new oil and gas wells away from people was a priority for environmental justice communities for years.