Permanent Sealing of Orphan Wells in Kern County ISMND

Permanent Sealing of Orphan Wells in Kern County ISMND

The Permanent Sealing of Orphan Wells in Kern County Project by the California Department of Conservation Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) State Abandonment Program involves the State of California's plugging and abandoning (permanent sealing) of 18 orphan wells, removal of tanks, aboveground pipelines, debris, and other Project-related facilities and equipment in Kern County, California. One well is not within an oil field, while the rest are in the Fruitvale (12), Mountain View (3), Edison (1), and Semitropic (1) Oil Fields. For well permanent sealing, each well would be cleaned out and then plugged with cement and inert mud to the ground surface. Then, the well casing would be cut down to approximately five to ten feet below ground level, and the site would be backfilled with soil up to ground level. All activities would utilize existing roads and previously disturbed areas to the maximum extent feasible. Due to the locations of the well sites, the access and staging of equipment could have the potential for ground disturbance. Therefore, CalGEM is preparing this Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines. A site stabilization and/or lease restoration plan is proposed to ensure that that area is returned to natural conditions. The project activities being permitted by CalGEM are within the scope of the Permanent Sealing of Orphan Wells in Kern County IS/MND. CalGEM approved permits to abandon the wells listed below in Kern County.

Bakersfield, Fuller Acres, Unincorporated areas

Kern

Countywide, Unincorporated

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 6 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Fresno Region 5 (RWQCB), California San Joaquin River Conservancy (SJRC), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Delta Protection Commission, Delta Stewardship Council, Department of General Services (DGS), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 12, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 19, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance

Industrial (Sq. Ft. 180000, Acres 4.2, Employees 36)

Grading Permit

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Economics/Jobs, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire