Monterey County staff wants to hear from the public about procedures to implement Measure Z, the county ballot measure that passed last November that bans fracking in the county, new oil or wastewater wells and, over a period of five to 15 years, phases out wastewater injection.
Oil companies sued the county Dec. 14 to overturn the measure, and in February, the measure's proponents—nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity and Protect Monterey County, which authored the ballot measure and campaigned for it—filed to intervene in the lawsuit.
As it stands now, oil companies Chevron and Aera entered into an agreement with the county on Dec. 12 that halts the implementation of all aspects of Measure Z except its ban on fracking.
The county, specifically, is seeking input from the public on procedures to avoid unconstitutional takings of resources, making vested rights determinations and a reasonable amortization determinations.
The meeting will be held March 8 from 4-6pm at the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 1428 Abbott Street in Salinas.
--
Correction: The original version of this story inaccurately stated the meeting was March 7. The Weekly regrets the error.