California halts fracking permits in oil producer crackdown

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is cracking down on oil producers by halting the approval of hundreds of fracking permits until independent scientists can review them.
Also Tuesday, the Democratic governor also temporarily banned another drilling method that regulators believe is linked to one of the largest spills in state history.
The state said it will not approve new wells that use high-pressure steam to extract oil from underground.
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