Council members praise state action to codify countywide EIR allowing limited well permits

Members of the Taft City Council used their statement time to discuss recently passed state legislation that, according to comments on the record, would codify a countywide supplemental environmental impact report and permit Kern County to issue up to 2,000 new well-drill permits per year for the next 10 years.

A council member credited State Senator Shannon Grove with leading the effort and said the legislation passed both houses after extended negotiations. The council member said the measure had not yet been signed by the governor at the time of the meeting and that they were "hoping that the governor will sign this document either, tomorrow or Friday." The council member described the legislative negotiations as difficult and said the statute would allow Kern County to manage existing reservoirs and issue well permits under the EIR for a 10-year period.

Council remarks emphasized the legislation as a "critical component" for local infrastructure planning; one member framed drilling permits as part of managing decline of existing resources and deploying new technologies. The council did not take formal action on the matter at the meeting; comments were informational and supportive. No city-level ordinance or resolution on the subject was introduced or adopted during this session.

Council members noted intensive late-night legislative sessions in Sacramento and thanked local supporters and officials who assisted in the negotiations. The discussion did not identify implementation steps the city would take pending final state action.