California's Top Oil Regulator Quits Amid Controversy Over Work For Governor

The state's top oil regulator announced his resignation Monday amid accusations that his agency has been misused to serve the private interests of the governor.

California's chief oil and gas regulator announced his resignation Monday after just 17 months on the job amid accusations that his agency has been misused to serve the private interests of the governor.

Steven Bohlen, supervisor of the department of Conservation Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, plans to return to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the governor's office confirmed Monday.

Scrutiny of the department spiked after the Associated Press reported that Gov. Jerry Brown had ordered regulators from the division to investigate his 2,700-acre ranch for its oil and gas potential.

The resulting report revealed there was little potential for drilling or mining on Brown's private property, but it fanned criticisms that the regulatory agency has been used to serve the vested interests of private industry.

Brown's office countered that the governor was merely interested in the history and geology of his family ranch in Colusa County, and that the oil findings were a small part of a larger report.

In a statement Monday, Brown hailed Bohlen's "strong leadership" and commitment to stay on as an unpaid advisor.

"Steve brought strong leadership and valuable scientific expertise to the job of improving oil and gas oversight," Brown said.

Ken Harris — executive officer for the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board since 2012 — will immediately replace Bohlen, taking over a department mired in allegations of misuse of resources and lax industry oversight.

A lawsuit filed by a group of Central Valley farmers alleged the Brown administration fired state regulators who refused to back down over issues like illegal gas injection wells or protecting underground aquifers from contamination.

Brown's administration has strongly denied the allegations.

Bohlen's departure also comes on the cusp of Brown's appearance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, where he plans to bring his self-styled environmentalist message to the world stage.

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