Tbf they’re trying. Executive order stopped all fracking and halted in-process permitting. Project applications for new water flood injection projects are being halted because operators are trying to sneak in project that use injection gradients above the fracture gradient (which is literally fracking). Orphaned wells were legislated to be abandoned and operators are being held responsible for finding them, at ( very) exorbitant cost because they just walked away from them and now don’t know where they are or how to really abandon them to the satisfaction of the state regulatory bodies governing protection of drinking water and fresh water resources. There are also moratoriums on oil pumping in several major counties with the intent to phase out all oil production.

The biggest problem California is encountering is that every operator and oil company is suing the state over every piece of legislation they pass. Literally just trying to bog down the courts as long as possible so they can either maximize profits before having to fold or adjust the existing operation or (what they prefer), buy a new governor and legislature that will roll everything back for them once they’re elected.