Measure P will protect our precious water supplies by stopping problems associated with extreme oil extraction processes before they happen.

The industry is saying that fracking isn’t happening in Santa Barbara County. This is deceptive. They know very well that Venoco fracked wells both onshore and offshore without notifying anyone. Fracking is still permitted in our county and without Measure P it will happen again. They know very well that acidization and steam injection have all the same problems as fracking, and those are ramping up. All these techniques use and pollute water, involve toxic chemicals, could trigger earthquakes, and make climate change worse.

Opponents have even claimed that water wells would be affected. They would not — unless you are trying to get oil out of your water well using high-pressure acid injections!

Also misleading are claims that certain operations do not use fresh water. Maybe, but others do. And they claim that Measure P would shut down all oil, even though it specifically doesn’t apply to current production.

The industry can’t defend the safety of its practices, because they are inherently unsafe, so it is trying the change the subject and confuse people about Measure P.

The way to protect public water supplies from the risks brought to us by these private interests is to vote Yes on Measure P.

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