On Tuesday, Santa Barbara chose courage over complacency. Our county supervisors took a bold leap forward, fueled by the support of a majority of county residents, to ban new oil and drilling operations in Santa Barbara County and initiate a plan to phase out existing oil operations. This vote wasn't just a policy move; it was an act grounded in science, fiscal responsibility, and moral clarity.
For decades, our community has paid the steep price of fossil fuel dependence. In fact, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) , Santa Barbara County ranks #1 in California and #2 nationally for wildfire risk with a very high risk index score of 99.52. Home insurance rates are skyrocketing and increasingly hard to obtain.
In just the past five years, oil companies extracted $512 million in profits from Santa Barbara County. Meanwhile, our community has borne billions in climate-related costs and tragedies. This imbalance is neither sustainable nor just.