Activists submit over 16,000 signatures to ban local fracking.

On a hillside overlooking the Salinas Valley, more than two dozen anti-fracking activists gathered today to announce they had enough signatures to get an initiative on the November ballot that, among other things, would ban fracking and all new oil development in the county. 

Way more than enough signatures. 

Jeanne Turner, a member of Protect Monterey County, the activist group behind the initiative, says a count last night tallied 16,108 signatures, more than double the 7,391 required to get a measure on the ballot. 

San Juan Bautista resident Andy Hsia-Coron, who helped lead the fight to get a fracking ban passed in San Benito County in 2014, and who's been collecting signatures in Monterey County the last seven weeks, expressed confidence the ballot measure would "pass overwhelmingly."

"I don't think the oil companies stand a chance against us," he said.  

If the required number of signatures are deemed valid by the Monterey County Elections Department, a heated battle almost certainly lies ahead: In 2014, a coalition of oil interests donated $1.8 million to fight the fracking ban, out-funding the opposition 15 to one. 

Despite that, the fracking ban passed overwhelmingly at an almost 60-40 margin.

Today's press conference, which took place at the Creekside Terrace trailhead on the southeastern edge of Fort Ord, included speakers that ranged from retired doctors, teachers, college students and even an ex-oil company employee—Robert Frischmuth—who worked in the industry for more than 30 years. 

"What we're really concerned about is our future," Frischmuth said. 

The initiative would also ban injection of polluted water into wastewater wells—currently, one-third of the contaminated water produced by oil operations in the county is treated with reverse osmosis and cleaned.

The other two-thirds, however, are injected into wastewater wells, which Frischmuth sees as a cause for concern. 

"Fifteen barrels of toxic water are produced for every barrel of oil that's produced," Frischmuth said, adding that some injection wells are leaking into the groundwater. 

Protecting the local groundwater—and the $4.5 billion ag industry it supports—was a recurring theme among the speakers, and one highlighted by Cindy Walter, co-owner of Pacific Grove's Passionfish. 

Walter also wants to look her grandchildren in the eyes, and tell them she did everything she could.

"I want to say my generation helped Monterey County," she said. 

San Benito County resident Margaret Rebecchi said she has been talking to Latinos in the Salinas Valley in recent weeks, from King City to Salinas, and getting the word out about water quality.

"The fight against fracking is a fight for environmental justice," she said. "South County Latinos are tired of their water getting contaminated. 

Rebecchi also likened the water quality problem in Kern County to that of Flint, Michigan, and Monterey County Latinos would not suffer the same fate. 

"I'm going to get the Latino vote out," she promised.