Kern County, CA, has begun a process that could lead to resuming oil and gas well permitting in April if county supervisors approve a draft environmental report prepared after an appellate court last year set aside efforts to streamline the process.

Kern County

The Fifth District Court of Appeals based in Fresno, CA, halted the permitting system last March, and Kern County since has been drafting a Supplemental Recirculated Environmental Impact Report (SREIR). A final version was issued last Friday. 

The court said the county had violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The draft impact report is scheduled to undergo a planning commission hearing on Feb. 11. 

If the Kern County Board of Supervisors approves the draft on March 9, permitting could resume April 9, Kern...