today: First hearing regarding ongoing oil and gas operations in eureka field, South of Piru

This morning at 10:00 a.m. Ventura County Planning is holding the Planning Director hearing for a request from TEG Oil and Gas USA Incorporated (here is information from earlier this year about TEG being purchased by Hawker Energy, and the plans for the TEG assets). 

TEG has applied for a modification to their Conditional Use Permit for "continued operation of existing oil and gas facility." located at or near 4142 E. Guiberson Road, Piru. 

PL15-0070 - the requested changes is an extension for an additional 30 years to CUP 1994-2. The permit is set to expire on December 15, 2015. "Existing oil and gas operations will remain unchanged. No additional wells or structure or changes in boundaries are being proposed as part of this permit. 

The planning director hearing is the first opportunity for the public to comment on the project and to mention concerns or issues the County should consider when examining the applicants request. 

Citizens for Responsible Oil and Gas (CFROG) is expected to be present to submit comments on the project. Written comments which have been submitted to the County from CFROG include: 

 - "CFROG suggests a shorter term both to protect the nearby streams, rivers and wetlands from catastrophic failure and to allow regulators to impose needed and mandated greenhouse gas reductions. " The written statements refer to this weeks California Supreme Court decision regarding the Newhall Ranch Development, which stated "there was a failure to fully study and reduce the impact of Green House Gases from the proposed Newhall Ranch Development," according to CFROG. 

The court decision stated the Environmental Impact Report (for the Newhall project) did not measure "the extent to which the project complies with regulations or requirements adopted to implement a statewide, regional or local plan for the reduction or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Such requirements must be adopted by the relevant public agency through a public review process and must reduce or mitigate the projects incremental contribution of greenhouse gas emissions." 

CFROG believes this ruling has an impact on this TEG application, and others with County Planning.