California Supreme Court Strikes Ban on Oil and Gas Wells

The Court held that state law preempts Monterey County’s Measure Z ban on oil drilling.

The California Supreme Court held that Monterey County cannot enforce Measure Z, a voter initiative that bans new oil and gas drilling and certain extraction methods. The Court affirmed a court of appeals ruling that the state’s authority to regulate oil and gas drilling preempts the two parts of the measure that were challenged. The case could impact o…