(waves crashing) - Did you know that the US is the largest producer of oil in the world?

And a lot of it is produced right here in California, including in people's backyards.

(soft music) Since the late 1800's, more than 240,000 oil wells have been drilled in California.

Today, more than 35,000 of those are no longer producing oil.

And if improperly sealed, can lead to all sorts of environmental and health issues, as we'll hear about later.

Despite regulations, oil and gas companies often exploit loopholes to avoid plugging old wells, negatively impacting nearby communities.

Exemptions, particularly for companies operating in low income and immigrant communities, allow them to circumvent environmental and health regulations.

We spoke with community organizer of the Central California Environmental Justice Network, Cesar Aguirre, about the environmental and health impacts of people living in close proximity to these hazardous sites.

- In the environment I live in is really a sacrifice zone.

It's the people that make up the Central Valley who are farm workers, who are the oil workers, who are really the essential part of holding up the economy of California, are the ones that are exposed the most to pollutants.

- The health impacts of the oil industry on neighboring communities is significant.

But often not heard much about.

Cesar explains the reasons behind this.

- Kern County is the most conservative place in California, places where there's a lot of Catholics, right?

Why Catholics?

Because with colonialism, Spaniards and Europeans brought Catholicism, so a lot of the immigrant farm workers that come from Mexico and Central America bring Catholicism with them.

So in the report it says, target Catholics, because they tend to not question authority, which in other words is saying, go to where the immigrants are, because they don't have political clout.

Where there's folks that have political power, when they complain, the representatives listen, then they're not going to exist for very long.

But if those sources of contamination exist where the community is not respected by politicians, then they're going to get away with it for a very long time.

I'm in the Central Valley because this is where I grew up.

This is where the people that I know, this is where, this is where my roots are, this is where my family is.

And I think the most reasonable thing is to ask a few dozen companies to clean up their act, rather than expect 7 million people to leave the Central Valley, right?

What is more reasonable to make a few companies follow the rules or to have millions of people exodus one of the most productive places in California, right?

Otherwise, we allow corporations and companies and polluters to own the land that people should feel safe on.

(soft music) We're one of the agricultural centers of not only California, but the world.

We have farm workers that make up the beautiful communities that are here.

We're number one in oil production, yes, but we're also number one in clean energy.

So we have that path forward, - In our changing climate, the people who are least responsible for pollution are often the ones that experience it the most.

Cesar filled us in about what inspires him to keep supporting the planet, environmental action, and his community.

- What gives me hope?

All of the beauty that I see, I think.

The fact that there's anything to fight for means that there's something that you should fight for.

And I think, the beautiful rivers that run through Kern the canyon, all of the beautiful nature that there is, all of the beautiful people that live and exist here and that have made this their home.

I think it was Michael J.

Fox that said it, but he said, with gratitude, hope is sustainable.

And I think being, I have so many things to be angry about.

So I can either move away and make that somebody else's problem, or I can fight for it and make sure that it's no one's problem and I've chosen to fight.

(soft music) - So what we've learned is that California's oil wells are becoming less and less productive, meaning there's limited time to have the resources to safely seal them.

Simultaneously, local leaders like Cesar are working hard to ensure a healthy future for the people of Central Valley.

Theirs is a story of hope and perseverance, ushering a new era in California.

Till next time, happy exploring.

(soft music)