Apr 4-14, 2024
Vol. 25, No. 6
Last year, the state set off to plug and abandon 171 oil wells in Santa Barbara County’s Cat Canyon with the help of $34 million in state and federal funding. As of the end of March, 16 of those wells had work on them fully completed. There are more than 5,300 similar wells across the state that will likely need taxpayer-funded intervention because oil companies left them behind in the wake of financial insolvency. Environmental advocates are concerned the state isn’t doing enough to hold companies accountable and there are thousands more wells that will fall on taxpayers to cleanup. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor talks to environmental advocates, state officials, and the county about the issue [6].
You can also read about Santa Maria’s discussion about accessory dwelling units [4], a pastel painter with plein air tendencies [20], and the benefits of microgreens brought to you from Lompoc [24].
