MAYOR LINDSEY P. HORVATH (Kiran Hashmi, Council Deputy) a \-- (Janice Guzon, Council Intern)

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1 CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR MAY 18, 2015 SUBJECT: RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING q INITIATED BY: MAYOR PRO TEMPORE LAUREN MEISTER.. (Scott Olin Schmidt, Council Deputy) MAYOR LINDSEY P. HORVATH (Kiran Hashmi, Council Deputy) a \-- (Janice Guzon, Council Intern) STATEMENT OF SUBJECT: The City Council will consider adopting a resolution urging the State of California to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Adopt Resolution No. 15- 'ib'ft, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD URGING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING." 2. Send copies of the signed resolution to California Governor Jerry Brown, Assembly Member Richard Bloom, Senator Ben Allen, and California's Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources. BACKGROUND ANALYSIS: In 2012, the City of West Hollywood adopted a resolution calling on the State of California Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (tracking) due to a number of environmental concerns. Given the current drought conditions in California and the State's limited water supplies, the proposed resolution asks the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a moratorium on the use of water for hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as tracking, is the practice of extracting ground resources by drilling deep into the earth-often through underground sources of drinking and irrigation water-and injecting into the drilled well high volumes of water mixed with chemicals at high pressure. The pressure causes the target rock formation to fracture, at which point the injection is stopped and the fracturing fluids begin to flow back to the surface. This method of extracting oil or natural gas from the ground poses AGENDA ITEM 2. EE

2 a number of environmental and community threats, and California does very little to regulate tracking to protect local communities. Fracking poses a number of concerns for the state of California. First, it threatens the state's air quality. Fracking is shown to produce significant levels of methane gases and volatile organic compounds that cause smog and lead to respiratory problems. Fracking also releases carcinogens like benzene and arsenic into the air. Such side effects of fracking pose high risks to the health and safety of California communities. Fracking also exacerbates seismic risks. Underground disposal of wastewater from tracking has been linked to heightened risks of causing dangerous earthquakes. Particularly concerning is the fact that fracking wastewater disposal wells can affect even earthquake faults that are miles away from them. As a state that is at high risk for seismic activity, California could suffer significant impacts from such side effects of hydraulic fracturing. Most importantly, fracking both depletes and pollutes California's already-diminished water supply. Fracking is known to be an extremely water-intensive practice and often involves the use of thousands or even millions of gallons of water to frack just one well. Moreover, tracking also releases toxic chemicals into California's water supply, and many of these chemicals are known to cause serious human health problems. A number of these chemicals are known carcinogens and are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act for their risk to human health. Despite the negative consequences of tracking on communities throughout California, the State of California currently imposes few regulations on the practice of hydraulic fracking. The State of California Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) does not require a permit to frack a well, does not keep records of wells fracked before 2014, does not record well casing failures that have the potential to contaminate the local water supply, and does not require drillers to disclose where contaminated wastewater from drilling operations is disposed. The City of West Hollywood is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of the local community and has long been at the forefront of pushing for reforms to improve environmental protections. Furthermore, the City of West Hollywood considers the issue of water conservation in California to be a priority and maintains a strict commitment to the California Water Action Plan to reduce urban water use by 20% by the year Given the heavy environmental toll, dangerous health impacts, heavy water use and water waste associated with fracking, the resolution urging the State of California to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing is consistent with City policy. CONFORMANCE WITH VISION 2020 AND THE GOALS OF THE WEST HOLLYWOOD GENERAL PLAN:

3 The item is consistent with West Hollywood's Core Values of Public Safety and Responsibility for the Environment and the Ongoing Strategic Program of Actively Participate in Regional Issues. This item is also consistent with the following goals of the West Hollywood General Plan: SN-1: Reduce injury and damage from natural hazards and SN-2: Minimize exposure to hazardous materials. EVALUATION: Staff and the City Lobbyist will track and report back to Council on any developments related to this issue and, as appropriate, will evaluate and bring recommendations forward to the City Council. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND HEAL TH: The purpose of a moratorium on tracking is to ensure that public health and the environment will be protected. OFFICE OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: Office of Mayor Pro Tempore Lauren Meister and Office of Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath and City Lobbyist. FISCAL IMPACT: None.

4 Resolution No A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD URGING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING WHEREAS, the City of West Hollywood has previously called for the State of California Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as tracking, due to its potential negative impacts on the environment; and WHEREAS, the State of California is currently in the midst of an historic drought; and WHEREAS, hydraulic fracturing, is the practice of extracting oil or natural gas from the ground by injecting high volumes of water mixed with toxic chemicals at high pressure into a target rock formation; and WHEREAS, fracking endangers public health and safety by producing significant levels of methane gases and volatile organic compounds that cause smog and lead to respiratory problems as well as releases carcinogens like benzene and arsenic into the air; and and WHEREAS, fracking increases seismic risks within the State of California; WHEREAS, fracking both heavily depletes California's already-diminished water supply and pollutes valuable water resources with toxic chemicals that are known to cause serious human health problems; and WHEREAS, despite all the negative impacts of fracking, the State of California Division of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) currently does little to regulate tracking activities; and WHEREAS, until the DOGGR takes all the necessary measures to adopt, implement, and enforce comprehensive regulations concerning the practice of tracking and the disposal of tracking wastewater by injection wells to ensure that public health and safety and the environment are adequately protected, an immediate moratorium on tracking is needed; and, WHEREAS, the State of California Water Resources Control Board is requiring municipalities and urban water agencies to reduce water use by up to thirty six percent;

5 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of West Hollywood hereby urges the State of California Water Resources Control Board to place a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until the end of the current drought conditions.