New Poll Shows 67% Voter Support To “Keep the Law” Preventing Toxic Oil Drilling Near Schools, Hospitals and Neighborhoods
Poll Also Shows that Communities of Color, who are Disproportionately Impacted by the Devastating Health Impacts of Toxic Drilling, Strongly Support “KEEP THE LAW”
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California (CSHC) shared new survey results from FM3 Research showing support to KEEP THE LAW (SB 1137) against toxic drilling in neighborhoods continues to have overwhelming support with 67% of likely voters.* This is consistent with previous polling released from the University of Southern California Dornsife showing the measure with approximately 71% support among likely voters.
“It’s clear that when voters know the truth about the measure – that Big Oil is trying to overturn a historic public safety law that would protect our communities from toxic drilling, they will overwhelmingly vote to KEEP THE LAW,” said Darryl Molina Sarmiento, executive director of Communities for a Better Environment, a co-founding coalition member of Standing Together Against Neighborhood Drilling L.A. and the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California. “Our broad and diverse coalition, including youth and working families living next to neighborhood oil drilling, will work every day until the election to ensure that voters have the information they need to protect the health and safety of our communities and keep the law that establishes a 3,200 foot buffer zone from homes, schools and hospitals in place.”
The poll surveyed current ballot measure language:
SHOULD CALIFORNIA KEEP OR OVERTURN A LAW PASSED IN 2022 PROHIBITING NEW OIL AND GAS WELLS NEAR HOMES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS? The 2022 law prohibits new or modified oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of specified locations, including homes, schools, daycares, parks, healthcare facilities, community resource centers, detention facilities, and businesses open to the public. Requires existing wells in these areas to meet certain health, safety, and environmental requirements by January 1, 2025.
The poll also showed that communities of color, who are disproportionately impacted by the devastating health impacts of toxic drilling in neighborhoods, strongly support the “KEEP THE LAW” position.
Currently, nearly 30,000 oil and gas wells in California sit within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals and other public areas, exposing nearly 3 million people, disproportionately communities of color, to emissions that cause birth defects, respiratory illnesses and cancer. An independent scientific advisory panel in 2021 advised California officials that a 3,200-foot setback between oil wells and sensitive receptors is the minimum distance to protect public health.
“KEEP THE LAW” Campaign endorsers include public health groups, community and faith organizations, and environmental justice leaders from across California working to hold oil companies accountable for creating a public health crisis, especially for communities of color.
*This statewide survey was conducted May 9-19 through phone and online interviews, and general results have a +/- 3.5% margin of error.
Press Contact:Robin Swanson, robin@swansoncomm.net