Today, the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) announced its strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Interior's newly released Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program that encompasses federal waters off the entire West Coast, including fragile regions such as the Santa Barbara Channel.
This plan threatens California's coastal resources, local economies, wildlife, commercial and recreational fishing, and the well-being of local communities.
"This is the first time the federal government has opened the California coast to new lease sales since 1984, when Ronald Reagan was president," the EDC said.
The draft program includes 34 lease sales in 21 of the 27 Outer Continental Shelf Planning Areas, amounting to some 1.27 billion acres. Of those, six lease sales would occur in the Pacific Ocean, with three in the Southern California Planning Area in 2027, 2029 and 2030, EDC reports.
"New leasing means new drilling and the near-inevitability of new oil spills along beaches and in communities that have been repeatedly devastated by past oil catastrophes," said Maggie Hall, EDC's deputy chief counsel.
"In Santa Barbara we know first-hand the danger of offshore oil drilling," she said. "The catastrophic 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill and the 2015 Plains Oil Spill proved that there is no way to drill for oil without causing devastating impacts to our coastal environment, tourism and recreation, and economy. The risk is unacceptable."
The California Current upwelling system is one of the top five most biodiverse and rich marine ecosystems in the world, providing a high level of unparalleled productivity that supports fisheries, tourism, and livelihoods, EDC reports.
The region includes the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, as well as federal and state Marine Protected Areas.
"This area is also an important migratory route and feeding area for endangered blue, humpback, and fin whales, which are vulnerable to oil and gas drilling activities, ship strikes, seismic surveys, and oil spills," EDC said.
California coastal communities rely heavily on these incredible resources to support our local economies, according to EDC.
California's coastal economy is heavily dependent on tourism, recreation and fishing. In 2019, ocean-related tourism and recreation contributed $28 billion to California's GDP, which grew from $19.5 billion in 2016, EDC reports.
Studies from the Ocean Protection Council found the most frequently reported coastal activity is "sightseeing" specifically along scenic highways, bringing in revenue to coastal cities not tied to ocean-centered businesses.
"The administration's plan for new offshore oil and gas development puts these valuable industries at risk, as seen when the 2015 Plains Oil Spill closed fishing grounds and damaged the region's tourism businesses," EDC said.
The plan has been met with bipartisan opposition. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal joined a bicameral letter signed by more than 100 lawmakers demanding President Trump and the secretary of the Interior cease any plans to open new offshore oil and gas leases in federal waters.
As stated in the letter: "Our coastal communities, fishermen, small business owners, Tribal Nations, tourism operators, and families cannot be sacrificed in the name of short-term drilling booms," concluded the lawmakers.
"Opening new offshore lease areas while cancelling clean energy progress is potentially illegal, a failure of leadership, and a dereliction of the public trust," lawmakers said.
The EDC defends nature and advances environmental justice on California's Central Coast through advocacy and legal action.
Since 1977, EDC has represented more than 140 nonprofit, community-based organizations to protect the Central Coast and the Earth's climate. EDC is funded through private donations, receiving no government assistance.