A California bill would require some rental housing providers to disclose nearby oil wells, maintain methane alarms in affected multifamily units and submit compliance certifications to state or local agencies.

The proposal, opposed by the California Apartment Association, would affect landlords and sellers with properties on or within 300 feet of active, idle, orphaned or abandoned oil wells. Its methane alarm requirement would also apply where elevated methane is likely because of commercial, industrial, geological or environmental factors.

AB 1725 by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, D-Los Angeles, would require landlords to notify prospective tenants when oil wells are on or within 300 feet of a property and describe associated hazards, including potential health impacts and increased risks of fire, toxic exposure and methane gas emergencies. Sellers of residential property would face a parallel disclosure requirement for prospective buyers.

For multifamily rental housing, the bill would require owners or their agents to maintain methane gas monitoring or alarm systems in covered units, keep those systems operational, inspect and test them monthly or at the manufacturer’s recommended frequency, and periodically certify compliance to the Department of Housing and Community Development or a local enforcement agency.

On Wednesday, April 1, CAA and coalition partners issued a letter opposing the bill. The letter argues that AB 1725 places responsibility for oil well-related hazards on neighboring property owners who do not drill, operate, maintain or abandon the wells that create those risks and have no ability to prevent methane leaks or other associated hazards.

The coalition also contends the bill targets the wrong party. Where methane or other hazards are affecting nearby communities, the letter argues, the solution should be stronger oversight of the oil industry — not monitoring mandates imposed on adjacent property owners. It notes that while methane detectors may alert residents to danger, they do not prevent gas releases or address the underlying problem.

The bill would create significant new compliance burdens, the coalition says, including installation, maintenance, testing and reporting requirements for methane monitors that could increase operating costs and liability exposure, particularly for smaller property owners.

For orphaned and abandoned wells — where no private operator exists — the coalition argues that responsibility should rest with the public agencies that oversee those sites rather than with neighboring property owners. More broadly, it warns that requiring property owners to monitor and mitigate hazards originating off their property could set a precedent extending well beyond this issue. The letter notes that California already has a regulatory framework governing oil well safety and argues that if improvements are needed, efforts should focus on strengthening oversight, enforcement and remediation requirements for responsible parties.