The mission statement of CalGEM (California Geologic Energy Management Division) reads as follows, “CalGEM prioritizes protecting public health, safety, and the environment in its oversight of the oil, natural gas, and geothermal industries, while working to help California achieve its climate change and clean energy goals.”
Failure to thoroughly deliver on its mission is not acceptable. Robust rules and regulations alone are not sufficient. They are a beginning, a foundation.
CalGEM’s past life, as DOGGR (Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources), was regrettable. It was marked by financial conflicts of supervisors and staff; lax and even shoddy science and engineering oversight; and feckless enforcement. Arguably, there was malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance.
DOGGR consistently acted as an enabler of the oil industry. And it did this at the expense of residents, of taxpayers, and of the environment.
This now is CalGEM’s opportunity to do much better. The year is 2020, not 1920. CalGEM must protect our most valuable resource: water. It must act to limit climate change. We ought to either allow or encourage the transition to clean and safe energy. This is for our health and for our livelihoods.
CalGEM can no longer be an agency that primarily serves an aging industry that is focused on short-term profit at the expense of our present and future, of the public health and safety, and of the environment.
CalGEM must fulfill its stated mission. It has our full attention.
Seth Steiner
Los Alamos
This article appears in Jun 11-18, 2020.