In hopes of receiving a 20-year permit extension to continue drilling oil from existing wells with the allowance to drill up to 46 new wells, Signal Hill Petroleum has released a draft of its Environmental Impact Report.
The report was conducted by multiple independent third parties and led by the city of Signal Hill over the past year, and details possible environmental impacts the extension would have on the surrounding community. The purpose of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is to provide the City and public with the full environmental effects of a project and suggest mitigations to minimize significant effects.
Since 1998, Signal Hill has been approving Conditional Use Permit extensions to allow Signal Hill Petroleum to continue oil drilling, refining and transporting.
The City has extended the permit 10 times since then, with extensions ranging from six months to 10 years. In the past two decades, the longest extension granted was two and a half years.
Signal Hill Petroleum’s Chief Operating Officer told the Signal Tribune in a May 2023 interview that the company is requesting a 20-year permit extension because new seismic technology has assured them that their sites have 20 to 50 years of production remaining.
If approved, Signal Hill Petroleum would not expand the footprint of its operations, as the seven drill sites have not grown or changed in decades. The company wishes to install new equipment at its processing facility and drill up to 46 new wells at its sites, according to the draft EIR.
Operations such as maintenance, redrilling and fluid processing would remain the same.
The report includes alternatives to the 20-year permit extension such as a 2-year permit, a 10-year permit and a No Project Alternative. The No Project Alternative would mean Signal Hill Petroleum would not be allowed to drill any new oil wells at the existing seven drill sites.
As long as the company continues to pay its annual well fees to the City, it can continue all other operations under the No Project Alternative, such as redrilling and upgrading its facilities. The extension only applies to the ability to drill new wells.
The California Environmental Equality Act required that 20 issues be studied for possible impacts in an Initial Study. Results based on the initial study were then analyzed in the EIR, including:
- Aesthetics
- Air quality
- Biological resources
- Cultural resources
- Energy
- Geology and soils
- Greenhouse gasses
- Hazards and hazardous materials
- Hydrology and water quality
- Noise
- Transportation and traffic
- Tribal resources
- Utilities, energy and service systems
Signal Hill City Council will hold a public hearing to allow residents to comment on the results of the EIR at the Signal Hill City Council Chambers on June 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aides and/or services may be provided upon request. Other services, such as translation between English and other languages, may also be provided upon request.
To ensure availability of services, please make your request no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 by emailing Community Development Director Colleen Doan at cdoan@cityofsignalhill.org.
To view the full draft EIR visit cityofsignalhill.org/612/Current-Projects.
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