U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
 
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News.bytesNews.bytes Extra, issue 364

California Oil and Gas Work Group meets to discuss issues

Government agencies and oil and gas operators all benefit when they collaborate to resolve controversial issues.

 

Agencies and members of industry continued that dialogue at the December 16 meeting of the California Oil and Gas Work Group in Sacramento. Attendees discussed a variety of issues including new state computer systems, potential impacts of solar projects in California and orphaned or abandoned wells.

 

The work group is a collaborative partnership with members from the Bureau of Land Management, the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Fish and Wildlife Service, California Fish and Game, petroleum industry associations, and both major and independent oil companies. (text continues below)

Rick Garcia welcomes attendees to the meeting
Rick Garcia welcomes attendees to the meeting

The purpose of the group is to promote the timely resolution of issues through the work of subcommittees and the sharing of information between agencies and industry.

The work group’s specific goals are:
  • To seek cooperation between agencies and industry
  • To meet quarterly to share information and concerns
  • To reduce duplicative or contradictory orders
  • To provide industry the opportunity to comment on new requirements before they are implemented
The work group first met on April 20, 1992. “At that time, the government agencies were at odds with each other and often had different regulatory requirements for the same operations,” said Gabe Garcia, assistant manager for minerals in BLM’s Bakersfield Field Office. There were several highly contentious issues discussed during those explosive initial meetings. However, members were committed to finding a better way of doing business, he explained.

Concerns that came out of those first meetings shaped the goals of the group and continue to guide the group’s work today. 

Hal Bopp discusses state issues with the group.
Hal Bopp discusses state issues with the group.

- Dave Christy, 12/28/08


BLM-California News.bytes, issue 364

 
Last updated: 12-30-2008