Environmental group sues to block oil wells near California homes

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A lawsuit says California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration improperly approved permits for new oil wells. The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit Thursday. It says the California Geologic Energy Management Division approved 21 oil and gas permits without doing an adequate environmental review. The lawsuit says 15 of those permits are within 3,200 feet of sensitive areas like homes and schools. Newsom signed a law last year to ban new permits within that buffer zone. But the law was put on hold in February. The oil industry qualified a referendum for the 2024 election to ask voters to block the law.