The decision invalidates a law that would have eliminated oil drilling in the city over the next 20 years. A proposed state law could still let cities regulate extraction.

A Superior Court judge struck down a Los Angeles law that would have phased out oil drilling in the city, banning new extraction projects and calling for an end to existing operations within the next two decades. The decision came after a group of energy producers sued the city last year. “In his ruling, Kin cited a recent California Supreme Court case involving a Monterey County ballot initiative that barred oil drilling. The court sided with Chevron and other oil companies, ruling that state regulations took precedence over the county ban.”
However, Dakota Smith notes in the Los Angeles Times, “the ruling could be moot if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bill allowing cities and counties to reduce or eliminate oil and gas operations.”
Los Angeles and surrounding cities are littered with active and defunct oil wells that contaminate adjacent neighborhoods with harmful carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde. The ban was unanimously supported by the City Council when passed in 2022.
FULL STORY: Judge strikes down city of L.A.’s ban on new oil drilling

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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