California Oil Ban Deals Blow to Property Rights
Liberty Check
- The law, SB 1137, prohibits new wells near so-called “health protection zones,” rendering mineral rights in vast areas unusable for their owners.
- Owners like the Morgans, represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation, claim this is a violation of the Fifth Amendment’s protection against uncompensated property takings.
- Critics argue the law undermines basic due process and property rights, while failing to require notice to affected owners as new buildings encroach on their resources.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022 law banning new oil and gas operations within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, and community spaces has left countless mineral owners unable to use their property.
This constitutional challenge raises deep concerns about individual rights and government overreach, especially as private land becomes collateral damage in the fight against “Big Oil.”
Action against this law is essential to defend the rights of everyday Americans and preserve property rights from unchecked government intervention.
The Constitution must be defended.
