Hundreds of San Diego County schools, parks and care facilities are near potentially dangerous oil wells, data show

Hundreds of schools, child cares, parks and other care facilities around San Diego County are located near idle oil wells, which can emit toxic gases, a new study finds.

They’re among the nearly 4,500 wells statewide that an analysis of state data by the Center for Biological Diversity found are within 3,200 feet of such sensitive locations. That’s the minimum distance state law requires new oil and gas drilling to be from such sites.

Idle wells no longer produce oil or gas, but because they remain unplugged, they can emit explosive gases like methane and toxic chemicals like benzene, said Emily Diaz-Loar, a staff scientist at the environmental nonprofit. The group has pushed to speed up capping idle wells.

California has prohibited new drilling within 3,200 feet of these sensitive sites based on studies of the health harms of pollutants coming from oil and gas activity. Idle wells can also release harmful pollutants, yet thousands of idle wells remain unplugged within these health protection zones.

“Children, seniors and sick people are more sensitive to the pollutants that can potentially come from these idle wells, because their immune systems are not as strong or not as developed,” Diaz-Loar explained. “That’s why we chose to focus on these sensitive sites in particular, and the number of idle wells that are surrounding them.”

An analysis performed for The San Dieg...