In response to Kate Woods fractured fairy tale article “Do You Know Your Mineral Rights”, Ms. Woods could not be more incorrect if she tried…and she tried pretty hard. I have opposed Measure J since I learned of the idea in January of this year. Yes, I was alarmed about Ms. Woods public claims that ‘fracking will poison our water’ back then, so I did some research. And after writing multiple letters and articles in the local press about water, petroleum production and my opposition to Measure J, I don’t consider myself ‘tellingly silent’.
My background: a 25 year career in the water utility industry with state certifications in water distribution, water treatment, backflow prevention and cross connection control. And yes, we are all painfully aware that California is in a drought.
What Kate Woods doesn’t know or doesn’t want to share with readers of this newspaper is that the petroleum industry uses a very small amount of water compared to the agricultural industry. In the opinion of the San Benito County Water District, the amount of water the oil industry uses is insignificant compared to the aggregate volume of potable water produced in the state. Nor does she mention that produced water from cyclic steam operations – like the San Ardo oil fields in south Monterey County – is treated through Reverse Osmosis technology and safely discharged into the Salinas River for beneficial use by farmers in the Salinas Valley. Yes Kate, the oil industry not only coexists with the agricultural industry next door, it actually generates ‘new’ water that supports the annual $4 billion dollar farming industry in Monterey County.
Ms. Woods pontificates further that the oil industry poisons water wells contrary to the peer-reviewed, scientific study commissioned by the federal Bureau of Land Management and incorrectly cites federal law -the Safe Drinking Water Act – regarding well stimulation chemical disclosure when state law – Senate Bill 4 and its revisions to the state Water Code – supersedes federal law which requires such chemicals to be identified by 2014 regulation. California has primacy/jurisdictional authority over environmental regulation and drinking water primary and secondary standards.
So let’s be clear. Ms. Woods is misinformed of what she is talking about and merely repeats what the radical, anti-domestic energy environmentalists want her to cleverly articulate to readers in order to scare voters in her own inimitable and provocative style.
Here is the BIG TRUTH: Both the California and federal Environmental Protection Agencies regulate and support domestic oil production in California and the United States respectively. President Obama and Governor Brown both encourage safe and responsible domestic energy production, including well stimulation methodologies to create more high paying American jobs.
California democrats and republicans don’t agree on much, but both houses with a 2/3 vote passed Senate Bill 4 which was signed into law by the governor to address and monitor water quality concerns, seismicity (earthquake) concerns, identification and disclosure of chemicals used during the hydraulic fracturing process and proper notification to neighbors of petroleum operations. Just ask California Assemblyman Luis Alejo who also voted for SB4. And finally, hydraulic fracturing isn’t happening now and, due to local geology, probably won’t happen here according to a recent state conservation representative presentation to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
Measure J is another state-wide land-use policy strategy promoted and fostered by the Center for Biological Diversity to stop petroleum production in California, contrary to the humble grass roots group spin offered by Ms. Woods and others. We need more high paying jobs in San Benito County, not artificial crises and unsubstantiated misinformation in order to fool voters to support Measure J. Â
America can and should produce more domestic energy at home to create high paying jobs, grow the economy, and improve revenue for vital government services and infrastructure. At present, America transfers about $1 billion dollars a day to the middle east, South America and Canada to purchase fossil fuels/petroleum. We don’t need Measure J to artificially restrict energy resources that will drive up the price of gasoline, diesel and natural gas and perpetuate sending our troops to the middle east to ‘protect our oil interests’. We continue to witness international murder, madness and mayhem in Iraq and elsewhere due in large part to oil supplies. According to the president, we have ‘two Saudi Arabias worth of natural gas here at home”. The American petroleum industry is improving our national economy in multiple states and California with high paying jobs through safe, regulated domestic oil and gas production.
As a proud member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) which is the national water utility standard bearer, I repeat from its White Paper study regarding ‘Fracking’: “At this time, AWWA is aware of no proven cases of groundwater contamination directly attributable to hydraulic fracturing.” http://www.awwa.org/fracturing/
So you see, Ms. Woods, you didn’t tell the whole truth or you are just not fully informed. Your Measure J articles read like the same old, tired, fear mongering mantra fed to you by the Center of Biological Diversity.
For these reasons and others, I join with farmers, ranchers, business people and other concerned citizens and urge San Benito County to vote No On Measure J.
Michael Smith, Hollister
