Dozens of people on Thursday protested a proposal that would allow an oil company to inject waste water into an aquifer near Price Canyon.
A large group gathered outside of an EPA workshop in San Luis Obispo protesting Sentinel Peak Resources, which is asking to be able to dump oil waste and fluids in the area.
Rep. Salud Carbajal invited the EPA out to talk to residents and hear their concerns.
Officials say it’s mainly the state’s responsibility to regulate oil and gas production, but residents say there are too many water wells and irrigation lines near the site.
"This is the kind of place to hold the line and say ‘no, you can’t do this to our environment.’ It doesn’t matter if it produces a lot of oil and makes money, those are short-term profits and we are talking about long-term degradation," said Lizza Densetz, San Luis Obispo resident.
The EPA says it has been working with the state for the last two years to get data to support the move. They’re still in the technical review phase of the project.
Previous coverage:
Public meeting on proposed Arroyo Grande oil field aquifer exemption
