Editor’s note: This guest column is courtesy of Bob Sulnick. While it’s about Santa Barbara County, it also relates directly to Ventura County, which so far has a 3-2 majority friendly to the oil industry, while Santa Barbara has a 3-2 vote to phase it out.
By Bob Sulnick
If other municipalities follow its lead, Santa Barbara County’s September 15 vote may ultimately be remembered not simply as a local ordinance, but as part of a broader movement toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.
The Board of Supervisors took a significant step in what may become one of California’s most ambitious local climate initiatives.
By a 3-2 vote, the Board approved the first reading of ordinance amendments that would prohibit new onshore oil and gas wells in the county and continue phasing out existing operations.
The vote reinforces the County’s longstanding reputation as an environmental leader and sends a powerful message to municipalities across the United States: meaningful climate action is not merely discussed in plans and policy papers; it can be implemented through concrete decisions that reshape local economies.
The County’s action becomes even more significant when viewed through the lens of its history. For more than a century, oil production on- and offshore has been deeply embedded in the county’s economy and identity.
That makes the county’s decision particularly noteworthy, as it has directly benefited from oil development.
Earlier this year, the Board voted to phase out existing operations. The proposal would eventually sunset about 1,030 active onshore wells that currently produce an estimated 2.7 million barrels of oil annually.
By affirming the ordinance’s first reading on September 15, county leaders demonstrated their commitment to following through on that vision.
They are part of a broader climate strategy that has been developing for years.
Climate Action Plan
The County’s 2030 Climate Action Plan sets an ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 2018 levels by 2030. Achieving that objective requires action across multiple sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, buildings, and land use.
The plan includes measures to:
~ Reduce emissions from electricity and natural gas consumption.
~ Accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.
~ Improve energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings.
~ Transition buildings toward all-electric systems.
~ Increase resilience to climate impacts such as sea-level rise, drought, wildfire, and extreme weather events.
The proposed phaseout of oil production aligns directly with these goals. While energy efficiency and renewable energy programs are important components of climate policy, addressing emissions from fossil fuel extraction tackles the problem at its source.
Despite years of negotiations through the Conference of the Parties (COP) process, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, and many observers argue that governments have been reluctant to confront the continued expansion of oil and gas development.
In this context, local governments have increasingly emerged as important drivers of climate policy. Cities and counties frequently move faster than national governments, implementing measures tailored to local circumstances while demonstrating what practical climate action can look like on the ground.
By showing that a historically oil-producing region can embrace a managed transition away from fossil fuels, the County is challenging assumptions about what is politically and economically possible.
The Board’s vote also occurred against the backdrop of increasingly visible climate impacts. In September, the County experienced record-breaking temperatures during a significant heat wave that affected much of Southern California. The extreme heat was not confined to Santa Barbara, highlighting a trend scientists have linked to broader global warming.
The climate crisis presents a series of interconnected challenges: rising temperatures, melting glaciers and polar ice sheets, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, extreme weather events, and growing threats to human health.
Faced with these realities, governments at every level must decide whether to acknowledge the problem or take meaningful action.
Santa Barbara County has chosen to lead.
If you believe your community should follow the County’s example, you can get involved by attending local government meetings, supporting climate-focused organizations, advocating for local climate action plans, engaging in the public process, supporting clean energy and electrification, and voting for climate leadership.
Local elections often receive less attention than national contests, yet they may have a greater impact on climate policy in your community. Research candidates’ positions on climate, energy, land use, and environmental protection, and support leaders willing to take decisive action (see Sierra Club endorsements at:
Also, climate action becomes more achievable when it is discussed as a community issue rather than a partisan one. Talk with neighbors, colleagues, faith groups, business leaders, and civic organizations about local climate challenges and opportunities.
The County’s vote is about more than drilling permits or land-use regulations. It is about recognizing that communities have both responsibility and the ability to shape their future.