A Consequential Change Of Heart Passes AB 3233
In a surprising turn in the last minutes of a late night session, Senator Bob Archuleta switched his vote in favor of Assembly Bill 3233 (AB 3233), which represents a significant defeat for owners of mineral, oil and gas rights in California. The bill, which grants local governments the authority to regulate or even shut down oil production, passed narrowly after a late-night vote shift. This bill was a major legislative priority for the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA), which had been working to defeat the bill.
Despite initially failing in the Senate with a 20-14 vote, the bill remained under consideration, allowing time for supporters to flip a crucial vote. Archuleta’s unexpected change of heart provided the 21st vote needed for passage just before the midnight deadline. The bill now heads to Governor Newsom, who will decide whether to sign it into law. NARO California, CIPA, and their allies are organizing an appeal to the governor, urging him to veto the measure, which is aggressively supported by anti-oil activists to stifle energy production at the city and county level.
CIPA, the California Independent Petroleum Association, is an organization that represents independent oil and natural gas producers, and service providers in California. It advocates for the interests of these stakeholders, which includes the royalty owners, by engaging in legislative and regulatory matters related to the oil and gas industry.
In California, anti-oil activists often include environmental organizations, grassroots community groups, and political figures who push for stricter regulations on oil drilling, particularly in urban or sensitive ecological areas. They are concerned about issues like air and water pollution, the potential for oil spills, and the health risks associated with oil production, especially for communities living near drilling sites. Well-known environmental groups like the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and the Center for Biological Diversity are often part of the broader anti-oil movement.
These activists also argue that continued reliance on fossil fuels delays the necessary shift to cleaner energy sources, which they believe is essential to mitigating the worst effects of climate change.
NARO California advocates a well managed adoption of so-called “clean” energy production that promotes small businesses throughout California. This includes on-going production of oil and gas, in tandem with other sources.
