On April 3, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and after a nine-month moratorium on new fracking operations, California's Department of Conservation approved 24 new fracking permits in Kern County, the center of the oil industry in California.

Fracking opponents strongly condemned the approval of new fracking permits at a time that the state is virtually shut down, and people are dying everyday from the COVID-19 virus. In a statement, Food & Water Action California Director Alexandra Nagy blasted Governor Newsom in response to the approval of new fracking operations during a pandemic.

“By allowing a sudden return to fracking in the state, Governor Newsom has shown his true oily colors,” said Nagy. “Despite his pledges to ban fracking and bring California into a clean energy future, Newsom has quietly fallen into line with the corporate fossil fuel interests that have been polluting this state’s air and water for decades.”

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