State Orders Cleanup of Kern County Oil Sites as Owner Faces Criminal Case

California energy regulators have taken emergency action against a Kern County oil operator for hazardous conditions near a community. The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) issued an emergency order to 25 Hill Properties Inc.

and owner Ronald Engelberg, demanding cleanup of an oilfield sump and tank. Inspectors found an uncovered pit with oil, water, and dead wildlife, along with other violations at sites within 300 feet of a residence and 800 feet of an elementary school near Linden.

Engelberg has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges and is out on bail. The state says the operator's failures pose an immediate threat to public health and the environment, escalating enforcement while criminal proceedings are underway.