California Regulators Propose Location Ban On Oil And Gas Drilling

The proposal would ban new drilling within 3,200 feet of schools, homes and hospitals but would not ban drills that are already in place.

California's oil and gas regulator on Thursday proposed that the state ban new oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of schools, homes and hospitals to protect public health in what would be the nation's largest buffer zone between oil wells and communities.

It's the latest effort by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration to wind down oil production in California, aligning him with environmental advocates pushing to curb the effects of climate change and against the powerful oil industry in the nation's seventh-largest oil producing state.

Related StoryCalifornia Beaches Reopen After Oil Spill