The BizFed Institute convened more than 100 top business leaders at Woodbury University in Burbank for a frank and spirited discussion of the opportunities and challenges associated with accessing the massive oil and gas deposits contained in the Monterey Shale formation, located primarily in California’s Central Valley.
Participants heard directly from leading economic, regulatory, environmental, and industry experts. As a service to business and community leaders, policy makers, and other interested stakeholders, we have assembled this electronic document as a one-stop source of critical intelligence resulting from those proceedings. By bringing together diverse – and even conflicting – voices, our goal is to move beyond rhetoric and contribute to informed decision making for California’s future.
Key Points from Expert Speakers and Panelists
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USC/TCI Report Highlights Economic Potential of Monterey Shale
According to the report, Powering California: The Monterey Shale & California’s Economic Future, cosponsored by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the Price School of Public Policy with The Communications Institute, the economic potential of the Monterey Shale includes: • $24.6 billion in new state revenue Click here to download a full copy of the report. |
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Virtual Forum: Experience the Entire Event Online Here
You can watch the BizFed Institute’s Monterey Shale Business Forum in its entirety online via YouTube. Simply click any of the following links for the segment you wish to view: 1.    Opening Remarks and Introductions by Tracy Rafter, BizFed CEO 2.    Welcoming Remarks by Dr. Luis Calingo, President, Woodbury University 4.    Audience Q&A with Mark Nechodom, Director, California Department of Conservation 6.    Audience Q&A with Kevin Hopkins, Director of Research, The Communications Institute 7.    Expert Panel Discussion o   Moderator: Susan Kennedy, Alston & Bird, LLP o   Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association o   Tim Kustic, California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources o   Bill Allayaud, California Director of Governmental Affairs, Environmental Working Group 8.    Audience Q&A with Expert Panel 9.    Closing Remarks by Don St. Clair, Woodbury University, BizFed Chair-Elect |
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The Experts: Diverse Points of View Illuminate the Issue
The following individuals with diverse backgrounds and points of view came together to drive the discussion and share their expertise. Susan Kennedy, Senior Policy Advisor, Alston & Bird, LLP The Los Angeles Times called Kennedy “the most enduring force in state government of the last decade.” She has been recognized by Democrats and Republicans, as well as business and labor unions, as a key factor in “getting it done” in Sacramento. Kennedy has built a formidable reputation over two decades at the highest levels of state and federal government, most recently as chief of staff to Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as deputy chief of staff and cabinet secretary to Democratic Governor Gray Davis, and as communications director for California’s senior U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein. Kennedy also served for three years on California’s Public Utilities Commission, where she led groundbreaking efforts to streamline government regulation and promote investment in California businesses. Bill Allayaud, California Director of Governmental Affairs, Environmental Working Group The Environmental Working Group is the nation’s leading environmental health research and advocacy organization. Their mission is to serve as a watchdog to see that Americans get straight facts, unfiltered and unspun, so they can make healthier choices and enjoy a cleaner environment. As their California Director of Governmental Affairs, Allayaud brings to his work a career of environmental protection that includes: 20 years with the California Coastal Commission as a planner, permit analyst, and legislative liaison; service as an urban planner with two cities; service as the state director of Sierra Club California. He has a B.A. from U.C. Santa Cruz in Environmental Studies and Politics and a Master’s from Cornell University in Regional Planning. Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association As President of the Western States Petroleum Association since January 1, 2010, Reheis-Boyd oversees the trade organization’s operations and advocacy in six Western states – California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii. She has been affiliated with WSPA since 1990 and previously was the Association’s Executive Vice President. Reheis-Boyd manages a broad range of Association activities, including legislative and regulatory issues associated with transportation fuels policy, air and water quality, climate change, renewable fuels and alternative energy issues, crude oil and natural gas production and many other issues in WSPA’s six states, and beyond those borders into Canada and abroad. Mark Nechodom, Director, California Department of Conservation Nechodom has dedicated his professional life to integrating conservation, regulation and development on the land, on the farm, and in the forest to inspire sustainable production and practices while maintaining a sensible balance between economic opportunities, environmental health and human well-being. Prior to his appointment as DOC Director, he was a Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which he represented on the team that negotiated California’s greenhouse gas reporting protocol for forestry, and he provided scientific and technical support to the California Air Resources Board and the Board of Forestry in the development of the AB 32 state climate strategy. Kevin Hopkins, Director of Research, The Communications Institute Hopkins was coauthor of Powering California: The Monterey Shale & California’s Economic Future, an in-depth research study on California’s energy future cosponsored by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the Price School of Public Policy with The Communications Institute. He previously served as Director of the White House Office of Policy Information and Research Counsel for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and was a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, a public policy research center, where he directed numerous large-scale economic research studies for agencies and departments of the U.S. government. He has also been a Senior Contributing Editor at Bloomberg Business Week. Tim Kustic, State Oil and Gas Supervisor, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources Working for the California Department of Conservation for nearly 30 years, Kustic has a keen understanding of the complex challenges faced by the oil, gas, and geothermal industries as well as by the Division, which is mandated to encourage the wise development of California’s energy resources while protecting the environment. Most recently, Kustic served as the Division’s Technical Service Manager, but he has also served as a field engineer in the Bakersfield and Santa Maria district offices, as manager of the Sacramento district office, and as the Division’s Facilities Program Manager. He began his career in the petroleum industry. |
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Additional Resources
·        Fracking Across the United States – Interactive Map of “Fraccindents” by Earthjustice
·        A Balanced Approached to Fracking and the Monterey Shale by Steve Bullock, Cerrell Associates, Inc.
·        Monterey Shale and the Future of California by Joel Fox, Fox & Hounds
·        Gov. Brown signs oil fracking regulation bill by Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
·        Looking Forward on Hydraulic Fracturing In California by Catherine Reheis-Boyd, Western States Petroleum Association
·        California Regulators: See No Fracking, Speak No Fracking by the Environmental Working Group