California governor orders fracking to be phased out

California will stop issuing new hydraulic fracturing permits by January 2024 as part of a statewide effort to reach carbon-neutrality by 2045, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a news release Friday.

Fracking uses high-pressure water to fracture rocks in order to access pockets of oil that would otherwise be unreachable.

Newsom directed the state’s Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management to implement rules that will end the issuance of new fracking permits.

California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has been asked by Newsom to work on other ways to phase out oil extraction by 2045.

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“The climate crisis is real, and we continue to see the signs every day,” said Newsom. “As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children, I’ve made it clear I don’t see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that California needs to move beyond oil.”