Environment

New Oil Drilling Permits in California Drop 97 Percent in 5 Years: What to Know

New drilling permits have dropped from thousands to dozens per year while dependency on foreign imports is hurting the environment and the economy, critics say.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—As the whir of pumpjacks break the silence at the Poso Creek oil fields near Bakersfield in Kern County, the crisp morning air is unmistakably clean and fresh as crews monitor the equipment that measures any possible emissions.In 2019, Kern County ranked first among California’s oil-producing counties and seventh overall in the nation with 76 active oil fields producing 119 million barrels of oil and 129 billion cubic feet of gas, according to a lawsuit the county Board of Supervisors filed in 2021 against Gov.

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