An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

California lawmakers previously ordered regulators to prepare for underground carbon storage, setting deadlines for companies to prove they could pay for cleanup costs. California Resources Corp. began burying carbon at Elk Hills in Kern County, which became a test run approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Critics warn that without state-specific rules, California cannot hold companies accountable for keeping carbon safely underground.