U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., announced her support Wednesday for SB-4, a California State Senate bill sponsored by State Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) to establish regulations for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and acidization of underground oil and gas formations.

Pavley’s bill requires the California Secretary of Natural Resources to collaborate with the state and regional water boards and the air board to promulgate new regulations governing “well stimulation” treatments, which includes hydraulic fracturing and acidization.

Fran Pavley

“The discovery that fracking and acidization of oil and gas formations could produce approximately 23.9 billion barrels of petroleum in the continental United States—64 percent of which is estimated to lie within the Monterey Shale formation underlying portions of Central and Southern California—points to the need for action to ensure protection of the state’s natural resources,” Feinstein said.

The bill also requires:

* permits for all well stimulation treatments;

* disclosure of well stimulation fluids before and after treatment;

* chemical information be made available to other regulators, health professionals and public health researchers;

* disclosure of water source and volume, water use, reuse and disposal information for each well stimulation treatment;

* advance neighbor notification of planned well stimulation treatments; and

* a comprehensive independent scientific study addressing well stimulation treatments specific to California.

“I strongly support Senator Pavley’s legislation and urge the legislature to pass the bill and Governor Brown to sign it,” Feinstein said in a statement. “Unless the potential dangers of fracking are addressed, we face the possibility of catastrophic consequences to the state’s environment and precious groundwater.”

Pavley represents about half of the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate. Feinstein represents all of it in the U.S. Senate.