California Chief Plans to Announce Ban on New Permits for Oil Fracking - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd April, 2021) California Governor Gavin Newsom intends to announce a ban on issuing new permits for high pressure hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, an environmentally-sensitive but profitable technique for extracting oil and gas, POLITICO has reported, citing sources.

The announcement would come on the heels of state lawmakers' refusal earlier in April to adopt a bill prohibiting fracking and other fossil fuel extraction techniques. Newsom intends to take the measure in light of ongoing attempts to recall him, with environmental activists slamming the governor for not making enough efforts to advance the fracking bill.

POLITICO added, citing environmental, legislative and industry sources, that Newsom would ban new fracking projects by 2024, with the announcement expected on Friday.

The governor says that fracking accounts for just 2 percent of crude output in California � one of the largest oil-producing states in the US. Industry groups, in turn, claim that the share is much bigger - up to 17 percent - triggering disputes over how impactful the ban would actually be.

Last November, then-President Donald Trump signed an order to protect hydraulic fracturing.