Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said her bill is needed because of public concern that the injection of water and chemicals into the ground to stimulate oil production may threaten health.
She said she does not want to increase California’s dependance on foreign oil. “However, the safety of oil drilling is an environmental justice issue that I believe we should review with great scrutiny,” Mitchell said.
The bill garnered an 18-16 vote, three votes short of the majority needed for approval. The Senate granted Mitchell the right to try another vote later in the week.
Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) called for more emphasis on wind, solar and other green energy sources, saying that fracking has “potentially dangerous ramifications for our planet.”
