Fired regulator: Brown pushed to waive oil safeguards.
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, Associated Press
Sep 4, 2015 12:52 AM CDT
This Thursday March 6, 2014 photo shows the setting sun behind pumpjacks operating at the Inglewood oil fields in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles. California’s top oil and gas regulators repeatedly warned Gov. Jerry Brown’s senior aides in 2011 that the governor’s orders to override key safeguards...   (Associated Press)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The state's fired former top oil regulator says Gov. Jerry Brown's administration pressured him to break federal and state law on oilfield permitting.

Derek Chernow's account is in a recently filed lawsuit filed by a group of Central Valley farmers. The farmers blame the state and oil companies for what they say is oilfield contamination of their water wells.

Chernow alleges Brown fired him and another top oil regulator in 2011 because they refused to waive key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act for oil companies.

Brown aide Evan Westrup calls the allegations baseless. Oil companies in the case deny that they pressured Brown for shortcuts in federal water-safety laws.

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