Make Polluters Pay for Well Cleanup!

Big Oil has made a mess in California, and they expect us to pay to clean it up.

Fossil fuel companies have left behind over 30,000 inactive wells in California, which continue to pollute our air, our water, and our climate. Many of these wells are close to schools, hospitals, and playgrounds, and they can leak cancer-causing pollutants and explosive levels of methane.

There are two bills moving through the state legislature in Sacramento. Assemblymember Hart’s bill (AB 2461) would push industry to pay to clean up its own mess through bonding or other financial assurance covering 100% of the cleanup costs when buying new wells. Meanwhile, the Big Oil-backed AB 2716 would weaken bonding requirements and leave taxpayers vulnerable.

Tell your state Assemblymember to listen to the people, not polluters, and make Big Oil pay to clean up its own mess.

Your Message

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I urge you to support Assembly Bill 2461, and oppose Assembly Bill 2716.

Californians have already paid far too much for the damage the fossil fuel industry has done to our state. Idle oil and gas wells are a serious threat to clean air and water, the climate, and public health. Even more concerning, thousands of these idle wells are located near schools, childcare centers, hospitals, and playgrounds — areas frequented by families and children.

Oil and gas companies are legally obligated to clean up their wells, which will cost an estimated $21.5 billion statewide. But many companies abandon their wells instead, unfairly saddling taxpayers with the bill.

Introduced by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, AB 2461 would protect taxpayers by requiring that fossil fuel companies post a bond or other financial assurance for the full cost of cleanup when purchasing a well. This commonsense measure clarifies current law so that any transaction involving oil wells, including stock swaps, is subject to full bonding requirements.

On the other hand, AB 2716 — supported by the oil and gas industry — would harm taxpayers by weakening the very bonding requirements we need to ensure that oil companies are financially responsible for cleaning up their idle wells.

Polluters created this toxic mess. They should have to pay to fix it. Please vote YES on AB 2461, and NO on AB 2716. Thank you.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address 1} 
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Ghost Zip Code}

Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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