Climate First Replacing Oil & Gas

CFROG IS DEDICATED TO COMBATING THE CLIMATE CRISIS BY WORKING TO SHAPE THE TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO A CARBON FREE ECONOMY IN VENTURA COUNTY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE CREATION OF AN ECONOMY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, INCLUSIVE AND PROMOTES RENEWABLE ENERGY. CFROG ALSO OPERATES AS A WATCH-DOG ORGANIZATION WORKING TO ENSURE THAT ALL OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS IN VENTURA COUNTY ARE PROPERLY REVIEWED, PERMITTED, MONITORED AND COMPLIANT WITH RELEVANT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

MY PEOPLE, MY AIR/MI GENTE, MI AIRE - THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THROUGH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ON POLLUTION BURDENS THROUGHOUT VENTURA COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN ENVIRONMENTALLY AND ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE PROGRAM HAS THREE PRIMARY AREAS OF WORK: (1) ENVIRONMENTAL VOICES ACADEMY IS A 16-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY SKILLS TO VENTURA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHICH THEY CAN THEN LEVERAGE TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS IN 2021'S PROGRAM RECEIVED INSTRUCTION FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS FACULTY AND OTHER LOCAL EXPERTS. THEY DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED ADVOCACY PROJECTS TO REDUCE SINGLE WASTE PLASTIC IN SCHOOLS, AND RAISE AWARENESS OF A DANGEROUS NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR FACILITY. (2) COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING ELEMENT COLLECTS AIR QUALITY DATA THAT IS NOT BEING MEASURED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THIS DATA HELPS TO INFORM COUNTY RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE PUBLIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. (3) AN INVESTIGATION OF POORLY ABANDONED OIL AND GAS WELLS THROUGHOUT VENTURA COUNTY TO IDENTIFY REPORTED LEAKS AND CONTAMINATION ISSUES IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF LEGACY FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE.

MONITORING & INVESTIGATING ANTIQUATED OIL & GAS PERMITS - CFROG RESEARCHED OLD RECORDS FOR EACH OF THE 4000+ ABANDONED WELLS IN VENTURA COUNTY TO IDENTIFY THOSE THAT HAVE UNRESOLVED LEAK OR CONTAINMENT ISSUES. WE INVESTIGATED THE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THESE PERMITS TO DETERMINE THEIR HISTORIES, EXACT LOCATIONS, OWNERS/OPERATORS, AND DETERMINED THE POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS THEY POSE. THIS INFORMATION IS THEN SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS. DUE TO A ZONING ORDINANCE LOOPHOLE, OVER 90 PERCENT OF OIL AND GAS DRILLING PERMITS IN THE COUNTY ALLOW OIL COMPANIES TO BE "GRANDFATHERED INTO" PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED IN THE 1940S AND 50S. THESE PERMITS ALLOW THEM TO DRILL NEW WELLS OR START FRACKING WITHOUT PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. CFROG MONITORS NEW DRILLING APPLICATIONS ON THESE PERMITS AND FORMALLY OPPOSES PROJECTS IN VULNERABLE AREAS.

OXNARD PLAIN & EXTREME OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION - CFROG CONDUCTS OUTREACH, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY THAT OPPOSES THE USE OF DANGEROUS AND HIGHLY POLLUTING EXTREME OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES SUCH AS CYCLIC STEAM AND FRACKING IN VENTURA AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES. WE WORK TO OPPOSE PROJECTS THAT SEEK TO EXTRACT SHALLOW "TAR SANDS" IN VULNERABLE AREAS SUCH AS IN PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND OF OXNARD. TAR SANDS ARE THE DIRTIEST OIL OF ALL AND ARE HIGHLY ENERGY-INTENSIVE TO PRODUCE AND REFINE, THREATENING OUR FRESHWATER AQUIFERS. IN ADDITION TO RESEARCHING AND FORMALLY OPPOSING THESE NEW PROJECTS, CFROG MONITORS CURRENT OPERATIONS AND REGULATORY PROCESSES.

THE ORGANIZATION HAS VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF ITS MISSION.