1 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CAMARILLO
IN THE MATTER OF SUPPORT FOR PHASING OUT
OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA
CFROG - CLIMATE FIRST: REPLACING OIL & GAS RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, California is the nation’s seventh-largest oil-producing state, producing over 150 million barrels of oil per year, refining around 500 million barrels of oil per year,1 and estimated to contain half of the nation’s heavy oil; and WHEREAS, nearly 7.5 million Californians2 live within one mile of an active oil or gas site, and over 2.7 million Californians3, disproportionately people of color, live within 3,200ft of an oil or gas well; and
WHEREAS, Ventura County is the third-largest producer4 of oil and gas in California with more than 60,000 residents5 living within 3,200 ft of an operational oil and gas well, the majority of whom are Latino; and
WHEREAS, if current fossil fuel production rates stay constant, scientists predict6 that irreversible effects of climate change will be visible before 2050 and as early as the next decade, years before California Governor Newsom’s current plan to phase out fossil fuel production; and
WHEREAS, by the mid-21st century, researchers project that the number of days with a heat index over 100°F will double and days with an index of 105°F will triple nationwide7 due to climate change; and
WHEREAS, climate change predominantly fueled by burning fossil fuels has already intensified unprecedented natural disasters, devastating storms, historic droughts, extreme heat, and wildfires, impacting Camarillo residents’ physical and mental health 8; and 1 Oil Supply Sources To California Refineries. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy- almanac/californias-petroleum-market/oil-supply-sources-california-refineries 2 Ferrar, K. People and production: Reducing risk in California extraction. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.fractracker.org/2020/12/people-and-production/#top 3 Ferrar, K. Implications of a 3,200-Foot Setback in California. (2022) Retrieved from https://www.fractracker.org/2022/04/implications-of-a-3200-foot-setback-in-california/ 4 Oil & Gas Activity in Ventura County, CA. Retrieved on November 15, 2023 from https://www.shalexp.com/california/ventura-county 5 Ferrar, K. Implications of a 3,200-Foot Setback in California. (2022) Retrieved from https://www.fractracker.org/2022/04/implications-of-a-3200-foot-setback-in-california/#toggle-id-2 6 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf 7 Heat Waves and Climate Change | Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Retrieved from https://www.c2es.org/content/heat-waves- and-climate-change/
8 Padhy, Susanta Kumar et al. Mental health effects of climate change. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446935/
2 WHEREAS, in November of 2024, the Mountain Fire burned 19,904 acres17 throughout Camarillo, destroyed 182 structures18, and caused over an estimated $200 million19 in financial damages; and
WHEREAS, wildfire pollution poses public health threats, leading to adverse health impacts20, including minor respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, reduced lung function, heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that children, older adults, pregnant people, athletes, and outdoor workers are more vulnerable to heatwaves21; and
WHEREAS, if state regulators do not reduce oil and gas emissions, California will not meet its legislative mandate22 of lowering greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030; and
WHEREAS, on September 16, 2022, California Governor Newsom signed legislation23 into law that will introduce 3,200-ft setback buffer zones between new oil wells and sensitive sites like homes, schools, and hospitals; and
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2024, SB113724, a law requiring the implementation of 3,200 ft setback buffer zones25 went into effect, following a years long industry-led lawsuit challenging the law and, on the same day, 30 drilling permits26 were issued in Los Angeles county within the setback zone; and
WHEREAS, Ventura County contains many wells near people’s homes and the California Council on Science and Technology27 recommendation of a health and safety buffer zone 17 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Mountain Fire Incident Report. (2024.) Retrieved from https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/11/6/mountain-fire 18 Ventura County Sheriff's Emergency Services. Mountain Fire Incident Damaged Structures. (2024). Retrieved from https://vcoes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/79fc1177ec104999b76e46112c0a2487 19 Pacific Coast Business Times. Mountain Fire Losses Mount. (2024) Retrieved from https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2024/11/17/mountain-fire- losses-mount-recovery-begins/
20 United States Department for Environmental Protection. Health Effects Attributed to Wildfire Smoke (2025). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/health-effects-attributed-wildfire-smoke 21 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat and Health Tracker. (2024). Retrieved from https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/heatTracker/
22 Governor Brown establishes most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target in North America. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2015/04/29/news18938/index.html 23 Bill Status - SB-1137 Oil and gas: operations: location restrictions: notice of intention: health protection zone: sensitive receptors. (2022). Retrieved from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1137 24 Bill Status - SB-1137 Oil and gas: operations: location restrictions: notice of intention: health protection zone: sensitive receptors. (2022). Retrieved from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1137 25 Sierra Club of California. Governor Newsom Signs Critical Legislation to Protect Frontline Communities from Oil and Gas Operations. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.sierraclub.org/governor-newsom-signs-critical-legislation-protect-frontline-communities-oil-and-gas- operations
26 Venteicher, W. and Nieves, A. You’ve Just Crossed Over Into the Setback Zone. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2024/07/09/youve-just-crossed-over-into-the-setback-zone-00167213 27 California Council on Science and technology. (2015). An Examination of Hydraulic Fracturing and Acid Stimulations in the Oil and Gas Industry [Ebook]. Retrieved from https://ccst.us/wp-content/uploads/2015SB4-v2ES.pdf 3 between sensitive sites and oil and gas wells, which cites studies on the harms oil drilling poses to human health, should be adhered to; and
WHEREAS, 352,78239 students in California, predominantly from Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities, attend school within one mile of an oil and gas well; and WHEREAS, frontline communities residing in Ventura County are disproportionately harmed40 by climate change and environmental impacts, including significantly worse air pollution, causing residents to develop asthma, heat island effect, and elevated infectious diseases; and
WHEREAS, children are more vulnerable to the diseases caused by poor air quality41 because they spend more time outside, have immature/developing lungs, and breathe in more per body weight; and
WHEREAS, Ventura County has 2,367 orphan and idle wells42, with hundreds surrounding homes in Camarillo, of which, an average of 67 percent leak methane43 and other pollutants; and
WHEREAS, the cost for cleaning up all idle and orphan wells in Ventura County is estimated at $776 million and has the potential to create over 1,800 jobs44, but the current funds available from oil operators is significantly inadequate45, posing a major threat to taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, climate change-caused natural disasters in the United States since 1980 have caused an estimated $2.945 trillion46 in damages, and national direct and indirect health costs of fossil fuel pollution exceed $800 billion47 per year, all posing a major threat to taxpayer dollars; and
39 Ferrar, K. People and production: Reducing risk in California extraction. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.fractracker.org/a5ej20sjfwe/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Fractracker_SchoolEnrollmentReport_11.17.14.pdf 40 SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities Map (2022). Retrieved from https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/1c21c53da8de48f1b946f3402fbae55c/page/SB-535-Disadvantaged-Communities/ 41 Danelski, D. (n.d.). Health: Children are more vulnerable to air pollution effects. (2013). Retrieved from https://centerforhealthjournalism.org/fellowships/projects/health-children-are-more-vulnerable-air-pollution-effects 42 Sierra Club. $23 Billion Question: What created California’s orphan and idle well crisis? (2023) Retrieved from https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/Idle%20Wells%20Report.pdf 43 Ibid.
44 Ibid.
45 Kretzmann, Hollin. Undercover risks: how Big Oil’s ‘blanket bonds’ jeopardize the environmental and state budgets (2020). Retrieved from https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/pdfs/Undercover-Risks-20-10-21-Blanket-Bond-Re port.pdf?_gl=1*11nzlgi*_gcl_au*OTQ5NTQ2Mzg3LjE3MDYwNjA3MzY. 46 National Centers for Environmental Information, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/
47 Medical Society Consortium on Climate Change and Health, NRDC, Wisconsin Health Professionals for Healthy Climate. The Costs of Inaction: The Economic Burden of Fossil Fuels and Climate Change on Health in the United States. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/costs-inaction-burden-health-report.pdf 4 WHEREAS, On January 17, 2024, the largest school district in Ventura County, the Oxnard Union High School District, passed a resolution calling for the end of oil drilling in California and urged the state and all local government agencies to take similar action; and WHEREAS, On May 21, 2024, the City of Oxnard, passed a resolution calling for the end of oil drilling in California and urged the state and all local government agencies to take similar action; and
WHEREAS, On August 27, 2024, the City of Ojai, passed a resolution calling for the end of oil drilling in California and urged the state and all local government agencies to take similar action; and
WHEREAS, On July 26, 2025, the City of Port Hueneme approved a formal letter of support for fossil fuel polluter accountability and for the creation of a Climate Superfund; and WHEREAS, On September 2, 2025, the City of Oxnard passed a resolution in support of fossil fuel polluter accountability and the creation of a Climate Superfund; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo urges Governor Newsom and the Ventura County Board of Supervisors to immediately stop issuing permits for oil & gas production and to accelerate the process of phasing out oil and gas extraction in California through a just transition that protects workers and frontline communities; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo implores Governor Newsom’s defense of the 3,200 ft health and safety setback distances between oil extraction and sensitive sites and urges him to do everything in his power to uphold these setbacks from efforts to overturn or otherwise undermine them; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo urges California State Assembly and Senate Members to ensure fossil fuel polluters are held accountable for the financial damages caused by fossil fuel exacerbated climate disaster and support the creation of a Climate Superfund; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo urges Governor Newsom and the Ventura County Board of Supervisors to ensure polluters are held accountable for the timely and complete plugging of idle and orphan wells; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo will continue to recognize climate change and climate justice as issues of importance to Ventura County; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Camarillo will continue to transition to renewable energy sources with the urgency that the climate crisis calls for. 5 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS xx day of xx, 2025.
Attested to on _______________________________________. Mayor _______________________________________
City Clerk
I, XX, City Clerk of the City of Camarillo, certify that Resolution No. 2025-XX was adopted by the City Council of the City of Camarillo at a regular meeting held MONTH DAY, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
City Clerk