Center for Biological Diversity v. California Geologic Energy Management Division

A California Superior Court rejected Center for Biological Diversity’s claims that the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by relying on outdated environmental reviews for drilling of certain oil wells. The court found that substantial evidence supported the conclusion that CEQA’s exemption for ongoing projects applied to well deepening at 15 wells off the coast of Long Beach. Regarding wells in San Luis Obispo County, the court found that CalGEM did not abuse its direction in looking to the County’s history of findings on contested wells in 2004, 2005, 2015, and 2021 to determine that additional environmental review was not necessary. Regarding Center for Biological Diversity’s contention that there was new data regarding the environmental impacts of oil drilling, including increased greenhouse gas emissions, and that California’s policy on climate mitigation had evolved, the court noted that the County Board of Supervisors had approved an extension for drilling, finding that a new environmental impact report (EIR) was not necessary after County staff advised that changes in the regulatory landscape did not trigger a requirement for a new EIR.

Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court to vacate the California Geologic Energy Management Division’s (CalGEM’s) approvals of the drilling of certain oil wells off the coast of Long Beach and steam injection wells in San Luis Obispo County until CalGEM complies with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Public Resources Code. CBD alleged that CalGEM improperly relied on environmental analyses conducted many years ago before information emerged regarding certain significant harms of drilling, including information about climate change harms. CBD alleged that the wells at issue in this case were part of a “broader pattern and practice of inadequate CEQA review,” which CBD has challenged in a <a href="https://climatecasechart.com/case/center-for-biological-diversity-v-california-geological-energy-management-division/">separate lawsuit</a> that does not seek to invalidate specific permits.