The amendment to the municipal code bans oil, gas and hydrocarbon extraction from surface rigs, but not wells located beneath Beverly Hills that are connected to sites outside the city. The law also prevents the leasing and construction of new hydrocarbon sites effective immediately.
“The Beverly Hills City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an interim ordinance banning oil and gas drilling. Council members used the legislative action as an opportunity to reaffirm a united, long-held stance that Beverly Hills is no place for surface oil rigs. Councilwoman, Krasne chose to potentially "err on the side of caution" to protect children when she voted "happily, yes" on the ordinance.
"I'm going to say, right now, as I sit at home with a child who has lymphoma, that if there is just a small instance of cancer caused by an oil well on the school campus, then I'm going to err on the side of caution and put this ordinance in place," Krasne said. "If it can be proved to me that this is not the case, then at that time I will gladly lift the ordinance and have no problem."
