California Proposed Fracking Ban Called ‘Job Killer’

The California oil and natural gas industry is throwing cold water on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plans to require by 2035 all new in-state cars and passenger truck sales be zero-emission and by 2024 have a legislative ban on oilfield hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

In an executive order (EO) signed earlier this month, Newsom set out “clear deliverables for new health and safety regulations that protect workers and communities from the impacts of oil extraction.” In addition, the EO would support companies that “transition their upstream and downstream oil production operations to cleaner alternatives.”

The California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) said the move would damage the state’s economic recovery from...