WSPA President and CEO Catherine Reheis-Boyd has issued the following statement in response to the Kern County Board of Supervisor unanimous approval to certify the supplemental recirculated environmental impact report and readopt local oil and gas permit ordinance.

“There is no more important issue than our energy future and balancing the concerns for our environment, equity and the economy. The women and men of our industry share the same sense of urgency as all those who participated in the board hearing about these issues, and no group will work harder to get it right.  That is why we applaud the Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimous decision to certify the supplemental recirculated environmental impact report and readopt the oil and gas permit ordinance.

“Our future must be shaped by facts, not fears. And the fact is, there are tens of thousands of highly skilled, dedicated, and conscientious scientists, engineers and passionate problem-solvers across the oil and gas industry in Kern County—each of them with families and children of their own who breathe the same air, drink the same water, and share the same economic future.  They play a vital role in supplying the people of California with safe, reliable energy produced under the most stringent environmental regulations in the world.

“There is no path to lasting sustainability without their continued involvement, integrity, and ingenuity.”