California Governor Signs Bills to Block Offshore Oil Drilling Expansion
California Legislative Information
Oil rig and surfer off Huntington Beach in California.
On 8 September 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to block new federal offshore oil drilling along California’s coast, and announced the state’s opposition to the federal government’s plan to expand oil drilling on public lands in California.
SB 834 and AB 1775 block the Trump administration’s plan to expand offshore oil drilling by prohibiting new leases for new construction of oil and gas-related infrastructure, such as pipelines, within state waters if the federal government authorizes any new offshore oil leases.
The bills also require new public notices and processes for lease renewals, extension amendments or modifications to authorize new construction of oil and gas-related infrastructure associated with new federal leases. There has been no federal expansion of oil and gas drilling along California’s coastline for more than 30 years.
On day earlier, the Governor submitted the state’s formal opposition to the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to open new public land and mineral estates for oil and gas lease sales, citing concerns over “the threats of climate change” in a letter to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
In addition to the Governor’s letter, the state also included comments on the proposal from the California Department of Conservation, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Department of Water Resources, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the California Air Resources Board and the State Water Resources Control Board.
For full text of the bills, click here. The full text of the Governor’s letter, with the state’s comments on the proposal submitted yesterday, can be found here.
