The Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce has gone from neutral to supportive of Measure J, which would allow Venoco to drill offshore for oil and gas from an onshore rig in the city.

The Carpinteria City Council opposes Measure J, which will be on the June 8 ballot. The business community is divided.

When the chamber’s board of directors first debated the matter, it voted to remain neutral. It changed its position on April 21 after hearing “a demonstration of business advocacy” from Venoco, according to a statement the chamber released on April 23.

The Carpinteria chamber’s reversal came just two days after an out-of-town chamber, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce, announced its support for Measure J. Venoco is based in Denver and has operations in both Carpinteria and Goleta.