Environment and Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) joined a bicameral letter led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) to demand President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum immediately cease any plans to open new offshore oil and gas leases in U.S. federal waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, in the Arctic Ocean and northern Bering Sea off of Alaska, and in… Read more »

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), and members of the California congressional delegation demanded answers from the Trump administration on its involvement in Sable Offshore Corporation’s attempts to restart offshore oil drilling using the same pipelines that caused the Refugio State Beach oil spill of 2015. In… Read more »

Today, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) hosted a press conference at Rocky Nook Park to reintroduce the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which would designate approximately 250,000 acres of public land in the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument as wilderness, the highest form of federal protection available. A wilderness designation would… Read more »

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the Trump administration’s decision to revoke approval for millions of acres of ocean to be set aside for offshore wind development.  “This is another backwards policy decision by the Trump administration that will hurt our wind energy sector and the thousands of jobs it supports,” said Rep.… Read more »

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) issued the statement below following the Department of Interior’s announcement that Sable Offshore Corp. (Sable) will restart oil production at the Santa Ynez Unit (SYU) off the Gaviota Coast. “This is a deeply concerning development for Central Coast residents, many of whom vividly remember the devastating impacts of the 1969 Santa Barbara… Read more »

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to undermine the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ability to independently and responsibly regulate civilian nuclear activity in the United States. The order, titled “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” directs the Commission to… Read more »

On the anniversary of the Refugio Beach oil spill, U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) reintroduced legislation to expand safety regulations on U.S. oil and gas pipelines to prevent devastating spills like the Refugio Beach disaster, which spilled over 100,000 gallons of oil on the Central Coast of California in 2015. The Valve Safety Fairness Act,… Read more »

Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) reintroduced two bipartisan bills focused on addressing the effects of climate change on U.S. coastlines, coastal communities, and marine ecosystems. "The climate crisis is hitting our coasts hard — from eroding beaches and stronger storms to declining fisheries. Regions like the Central Coast are already feeling… Read more »

U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), David Valadao (R-CA-22), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce wildfire risks this week. Rep. Carbajal’s Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act would reduce the procedural steps needed for removing hazardous vegetation near power lines, cutting red tape to allow for a more streamlined… Read more »

Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) wrote to Governor Newsom raising concerns about the potential restart of offshore oil drilling operations along California’s Gaviota Coast by Sable Offshore Corp. Despite the devastating environmental and economic impacts of past oil spills, Sable Offshore Corp. is seeking approval to restart drilling using the same… Read more »