Dont ComplyCalMatters reports that Kern County Judge Marcos Camacho found that the environmental review behind Kern County supervisors' October 2024 approval of California Resources Corp.'s Carbon TerraVault 1 project fell short under the California Environmental Quality Act and must be set aside. Among other flaws, the judge found the review did not analyze eight industries, such as hydrogen, cement and steel manufacturing, that could supply carbon dioxide to the project. He wrote that the omission "infects the informational foundation for the whole Project." Environmental groups had sued in 2024. The judgment is not final, and the company's tracker indicates injections continue. CEO Francisco Leon said the company would "aggressively pursue all available options." CalMatters reports a county planning representative did not reply to requests for comment, and that the EPA said the ruling does not affect CRC's federal permits.
Why it matters
According to CalMatters, the ruling found the county approved a major climate-related project on an environmental review that omitted likely sources of carbon dioxide. A new review could take months or years.
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