A Kern County Superior Court judge has lifted a long-standing court order that halted local oil permitting, clearing the way for permits to resume as early as Jan. 2 after a three-year pause. The decision follows the signing of Senate Bill 237 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which validated the county’s environmental review process under state law. While county officials and industry leaders welcomed the move as a boost for jobs and energy supply, environmental groups expressed disappointment and signaled a possible appeal. The ruling marks a major development in a legal dispute that has shaped Kern County’s oil permitting system since 2015.

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