Chevron Seeks Defeat of California County’s Anti-Fracking Law

Chevron USA Inc. argued Thursday that California law preempts a Monterey County voter-approved measure to curb oil and gas development and to ban fracking, urging the state supreme court to agree with an appellate panel’s ruling invalidating the initiative.

Chevron and other oil and gas companies told justices Measure Z is an impermissible local overreach that directly conflicts with the letter and frustrates the purpose of controlling state law.

Measure Z is an “extraordinary, unique provision” that “prohibits exactly what the supervisor is ordered to permit under Section 3106,” said Chevron attorney Ted Boutrous with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher ...