Background
PSE Executive Director, Dr. Seth Shonkoff and Dr. Rachel Morello-Frosch, professor at the University of California, Berkeley have been selected to co-chair a Scientific Advisory Panel to provide scientific guidance to California’s oil and gas regulator, the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) as they update their regulations to better protect community health. The Science Advisory Panel is an esteemed group of experts in oil and gas, toxicology, epidemiology, medicine, and environmental public health and is the first of its kind in CalGEM’s more than 100 year history.
In 2019, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 1057 (AB 1057, Limón), which changed the agency’s name and updated its mission to prioritize the protection of public health, safety, and the environment. To fulfill its new mission, CalGEM is undertaking a rulemaking process to update public health and safety protections for communities near oil and gas production operations. This process began in response to a November 2019 directive by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Recent Updates
- October 21, 2021: Joint Statement by the Co-Chairs of the CalGEM Public Health Science Advisory Panel
- CalGEM announces the Scientific Advisory Panel
- December 31, 2020: Draft Regulations Update: Protecting Communities from Health Impacts of Oil Production
