Organization warns local taxpayers could be at risk of liability for takings claims when development jeopardizes oil and gas mineral and royalty owners’ property rights under SB 1137
Bakersfield, California — The California Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO-California) will appear before the Kern County Board of Supervisors to urge the county to protect local oil and gas mineral and royalty owners, taxpayers, and residents in need of housing from the harms of California Senate Bill 1137.
NARO-California will hold a press conference Tuesday, October 27th at 1 PM at the Kern County Administrative Building at 1115 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301 to discuss the effort to protect local property rights.
The organization will be joined by community leaders including Assemblyman Stan Ellis, Taft Mayor Dave Noerr, and McFarland Mayor Saul Ayon to urge Kern County to stand together for action to protect local property rights, housing access, and energy.
NARO-California, which advocates for California’s estimated 600,000 oil and gas mineral and royalty owners, is asking the county to provide written notice when proposed development could interfere with their property rights as a result of the state law.
SB 1137 establishes a 3,200-foot setback between oil wells and homes, businesses, schools and other designated locations. However, the law does not prevent new development from occurring near existing oil wells or mineral rights.
That can create a serious problem for property and mineral owners. A new development near an existing well could ultimately prevent continued production of the oil beneath the property, depriving royalty owners of income and property rights without their ever receiving notice that the development was proposed.
NARO-California says the issue extends beyond oil and gas. At its core, the dispute raises a fundamental question about private property rights: whether government action should be allowed to diminish or take a person’s property without notice, due process, and without compensation.
“If government can take one person’s property without notification and without compensation, it can happen to anyone,” said Ed Hazard, President of NARO-California. “Royalty owners are seniors, farmers, ranchers, families, students and nonprofits. If a proposed development could jeopardize their property rights and take away income their families depend on, the very least they deserve is notice and an opportunity to be heard.”
NARO-California is asking Kern County to establish a process ensuring affected mineral and royalty owners receive timely notice of proposed land-use actions that could create or expand a 3,200-foot Health Protection Zone over their interests.
“Taft and Kern County as a whole needs new housing and new development, but we also must protect the property rights of our local royalty owners,” said Taft Mayor David Noerr. “These priorities are both important and never should have been put into conflict. The idea that we have to choose between housing and energy and that taxpayers could be put at risk makes SB 1137 another example of how Sacramento’s failed policies unnecessarily harm Valley communities like ours.”
NARO-California will present its request to the Kern County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting.
About NARO-California
The California Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners advocates for and defends the rights of oil and gas mineral and royalty owners throughout California. The organization works to educate royalty owners, policymakers and the public about mineral ownership, property rights and issues affecting California’s energy-producing communities. People are invited to learn more and get involved at NARO-CA.org
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