The Board of Supervisors is set to intervene in the permitting process for longstanding and safe energy operations, adding unnecessary red tape and killing local jobs.

Policies in the Ventura County General Plan update will lead to increased oil imports, driving carbon emissions far higher than what would occur under local production.

Unnecessary regulatory changes would force ongoing, safe oil production operations to re-apply for existing permits in front of the Board of Supervisors, increasing costs, discouraging investments, and killing good-paying jobs.

Half of all low-income workers have lost their jobs or faced reduced wages, but officials continue to pursue policies that will eliminate more good-paying jobs in the region.

As COVID-19 adds to the negative outlook for the region, Ventura County hasn’t backed away from policies aiming to harm an industry providing good-paying jobs and millions in tax revenues.

On the brink of recession with record low growth and tens of thousands leaving the region, now is not the time for Ventura County to hurt an industry supplying good-paying jobs and millions in tax revenues.

By repeating the false claims on water safety, Carmen Ramirez is misleading the public and willfully ignoring the many safeguards in place to protect aquifers.

In April, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors passed emergency ordinances based on false and unproven claims of water contamination in the Fox Canyon aquifer. So why isn’t anyone investigating?

After rushing through its public comment period last month, Ventura County leaders are now sneaking new policies into the General Plan without any public comment at all.