Jane Fonda, Wendy Schmidt, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, and Nalleli Cobo Team Up in New Ad Standing Up to Big Oil's Dangerous November Ballot Referendum

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Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California

Jun 21, 2024, 12:10 ET

Ad Campaign Featuring Strong Women Urges Voters to "Keep" California's 2022 Law Protecting Schools and Neighborhoods from Toxic Oil Drilling

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California released a new ad featuring actor/activist Jane Fonda, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, and activist Nalleli Cobo to raise awareness about their campaign to "KEEP THE LAW" protecting California communities from Big Oil's toxic drilling.

The ad, titled "Women vs. Big Oil," serves to highlight the diverse coalition coming together to fight the referendum and ends with a call to action to join the campaign. Watch the full video here.

"Our goal with this new ad is to demonstrate that this issue affects us all," said activist Nalleli Cobo. "As a cancer survivor, I've dealt first-hand with the devastating health impacts of toxic drilling, and I don't want other kids to be forced to sacrifice their childhood to the greed of the oil industry like I did. I spent years dealing with uncontrollable nosebleeds, childhood asthma, and ultimately, reproductive cancer, because of the toxic drilling that occurred in my neighborhood. That's why I've worked since I was 9 years old to pass common-sense laws, like SB 1137, requiring the oil industry to keep their drilling away from schools, homes and neighborhoods. Now oil companies want to reverse that law, and we're not going to let them."

Big Oil has been working to repeal a law (SB 1137) that makes existing oil and gas wells safer by meeting tighter health and environmental requirements within 3,200 feet of neighborhoods, schools, daycare centers and healthcare facilities, and keeping new wells from being built in these areas. To try and overturn this public safety law, oil companies placed a deceptive measure on the November 2024 ballot.

"Oil companies have already spent more than $60 million in an attempt to deceive voters and to repeal a California law passed in 2022 that protects people from the effects of toxic drilling," said philanthropist Wendy Schmidt. "Every day, Big Oil is sacrificing public health in California communities to grow their historic profit margins. We've built a massive coalition of activists, community organizations, and elected leaders to fight back. When voters understand what's at stake here, they will join us in this David vs. Goliath fight against Big Oil to protect the health of our families and our communities."

"For too long, Black communities and communities of color have suffered the brunt of the adverse health effects from urban oil drilling," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. "This issue is about racial justice, health justice, and environmental justice. We will not be silent as oil companies try to roll back the protections the state and LA County have put in place for our communities. We're sounding the alarm and standing up to this injustice."

"The most important thing is that voters across California vote to KEEP the law in November to protect public health," said actor and activist Jane Fonda. "I'm so proud to join with other strong women in this fight to drive home that message between now and Election Day. Our work has just begun and we won't stop until we beat Big Oil."

Nearly 30,000 oil and gas wells in California sit within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals and other public areas, exposing nearly 3 million people, disproportionately communities of color, to emissions that can cause birth defects, respiratory illnesses and cancer. An independent scientific advisory panel in 2021 advised California officials that a 3,200-foot setback between oil wells and sensitive receptors is the minimum distance to protect public health.

"KEEP THE LAW" Campaign endorsers include public health groups, community and faith organizations, and environmental justice leaders from across California, working to hold oil companies accountable for creating a public health crisis, especially for communities of color.

For more information about our campaign, please visit our website at: www.CAvsBigOil.com

Paid for by Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California, sponsored by nonprofit environmental and health organizations. Committee Top Funders: Advocacy Action Fund, Inc., Wendy Schmidt, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

SOURCE Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California