CA Pub Res Code Section 3250

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that hazardous and certain idle-deserted oil and gas wells, as defined in this article, are public nuisances and that it is essential, in order to protect life, health, and natural resources that such oil and gas wells be abandoned, reabandoned, produced, or otherwise remedied to mitigate, minimize, or eliminate their danger to life, health, and natural resources.

The Legislature further finds and declares that, although the abatement of such public nuisances could be accomplished by means of an exercise of the regulatory power of the state, such regulatory abatement would result in unfairness and financial hardship for certain landowners, while also resulting in benefits to the public. The Legislature, therefore, finds and declares that the expenditure of funds to abate such nuisances as provided in this article is for a public purpose and finds and declares it to be the policy of this state that the cost of carrying out such abatement be charged to this state’s producers of oil and gas as provided in Article 7 (commencing with Section 3400).