HOLLISTER, CAlif.- A battle brewing over what do with the oil that could be located right under San Benito County is moving forward. Some residents are sitting under one of the richest oil deposits in the United States called the Monterey Shale.
Oil experts have said there could be 15 billion barrels that underneath some eight counties and San Benito is one of them. The county is trying to figure out how to regulate the controversial fracking process that crews may need to go through, to get it.
"We're here because we don't know enough," said San Benito County District 3 Supervisor Robert Rivas.
The board of supervisors said it wants to develop the best plan to protect the people, the land and the chance to prosper from oil drilling. A group called Aromas Cares For Our Environment asked the board for a 6 month waiting period, before accepting any applications by oil companies looking to drill.
"We all drive cars. So we all know that we support this industry. It's just keeping our safety of our water, our air, our families," said Aromas Cares spokesperson Maureen Cain.
But some at Tuesday's board meeting said it's also about keeping the local economy strong and growing.
"The last thing the San Benito County needs is a moratorium to decrease jobs," said a resident during public discussion.
Landowner Armen Nahabedian agrees.
"This is a community that needs money at this time. This is a valuable resource. Oil and gas production can bring local tax revenue without putting a burden on residents," Nahabedian said.
The planning department told supervisors the current environmental standards meet most of their concerns and did not recommend waiting or making any changes. That's something the Aromas Water District is shocked by.
"We would've thought that staff would welcome the work with various segments of the community to build a modern ordinance," said water representative Wayne Norton.
After a tense discussion, the board decided to re-group next month to figure out how long it will take them to make new rules and if a waiting period is even legal.
Fracking is the process of making fractures beneath the earth's surface, to draw out resources. In this case, the oil makes fractures in rocks thousands of feet below the surface, by injecting them with water, laced with chemicals and sand. But environmentalists say the industry has been linked to ground-water pollution and even earthquakes.
