A former top state oil regulator is appealing a judge’s dismissal of his retaliation suit in which he alleged he was forced out by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration because he objected to orders that he implement a law that was about to be placed on hold because of an industry-funded voter referendum.
Former State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk alleged in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit brought in September 2023 that he was compelled to resign a little more than a week after filing a whistleblower complaint with the state Department of Conservation. Ntuk also raised concerns about the legality of a plan to halt all new drilling permits statewide without the proper authority.
On Thursday, Ntuk’s attorneys filed court papers appealing Judge Gail Killefer’s Aug. 29 ruling granting the Attorney General’s Office’s motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s case. The judge heard arguments three days earlier and took the case under submission.
In their court papers, the Attorney General’s Office maintained that Ntuk’s was not the type of report, complaint or disclosure protected by the Fair Employment and Housing Act as he had asserted.
Ntuk is a former engineer with Chevron whose oil-field moratoriums and other actions drew strong criticism from oil and gas producers. The suit dealt with Senate Bill 1137, which was signed into law by Newsom and became effective in January 2023. The law bans drilling within 3,200 feet of a home, school or other gathering place, unless the work is intended to maintain existing production.
The oil industry later obtained enough signature to put a referendum before the voters. Despite the state’s near-certain verification of the referendum, Ntuk was told by Newsom’s office to continue implementing SB 1137 even after the referendum qualified for last November’s ballot, the suit stated.
Ntuk believed he did not have the legal or constitutional authority to abide by the administration’s order and believed it was illegal, the suit stated.
After dedicating more than $25 million toward canvassing and political ads, the oil and gas industry withdrew its referendum from the ballot.