Monterey Co. has 35 wastewater injection wells that are injecting into protected aquifers

In May 2015, DOGGR sent to EPA a list of California’s class II wastewater injection wells that are injecting into protected aquifers. The DOGGR letter is at: http://bit.ly/1ZOjMwt

In Nov 2015, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board sent letters to oil and gas operators whose wastewater injection wells are injecting into protected aquifers. The wells listed will be shut down by February 2017 unless the operators get an “aquifer exemption.” DOGGR is holding public hearings about whether to grant aquifer exemptions. A big crowd turned out for the DOGGR aquifer exemption hearing in San Luis Obispo, (see article at http://bit.ly/1V8bpYj).

Monterey County’s DOGGR hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Both DOGGR and the EPA acknowledge that 80% of Monterey’s wastewater injection wells (35 out of 44) put at risk aquifers that should be protected.

In July, 2014, the state found that the industry had illegally injected about 3 billion gallons of fracking wastewater, containing high levels of arsenic, thallium, and nitrates, into central California drinking-water and farm-irrigation aquifers, and DOGGR issued cease and desist orders. Unfortunately, the oil industry has a lot of political influence and may get the Monterey County aquifer exemptions they seek, so the regulatory process may not protect the public.

The PMC initiative appears to be the most effective way to tackle the problem of wastewater injection wells here.


Protect Monterey County (PMC) is working to pass a citizens' initiative to prevent the harmful impacts of extreme oil extraction methods. Help us Ban Fracking!

http://www.protectmontereycounty.org/_aquifer_risk

Protect Monterey County
http://www.protectmontereycounty.org/