In the News

President Donald Trump’s April 28 executive order seeking new offshore oil and gas drilling leases in the Outer Continental Shelf omitted waters in the Pacific region—at least, for now.

The order, called the America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, directs Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to review and consider revising the current five-year moratorium on new drilling leases, implemented by former President Barack Obama, in the Western Gulf of Mexico, Central Gulf of Mexico, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, Mid-Atlantic, and South Atlantic areas. The order didn’t mention the Pacific region, to the surprise of Environmental Defense Center (EDC) Chief Counsel Linda Krop.

“Before the actual issuance of the order, that’s what we were hearing from the federal administration: That everything was on the table including the Pacific region,” Krop told the Sun. “When we actually got the order, it looks like it does not immediately include the Pacific region.”

But she said that because the Trump administration aims to revamp the five-year leasing program, the process does open the door for consideration of new drilling in federal waters offshore of California, including in the Santa Barbara Channel.

“We’re certainly going to have to stay vigilant through that entire process and make sure we’re not added,” Krop said. “We need to maintain very loud opposition. I think that’s what led to the administration not including the Pacific region at this time, because it was definitely going to be included. If we can maintain the strenuous opposition, we can continue to protect our coast.”

Legislation introduced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) in January could also provide that protection. The proposed California Clean Coast Act would permanently ban future oil and gas leasing in federal waters off the California coast.

“President Trump is going to do what President Trump wants to do, or thinks he needs to do,” Carbajal told the Sun in a previous interview. “But I think California is always going to stay steadfast against offshore oil production in California, especially in federal waters.”

Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) also took a legislative response, announcing on April 28—the same day Trump signed his order—that she would amend Senate Bill 188 to prohibit the State Lands Commission from approving any new leases for infrastructure needed to transport to shore oil drilled in federal waters.

The EDC’s Krop said that as Trump’s order to reverse Obama’s drilling moratorium undergoes public review and comment, California’s environmental advocates need to stand their ground.

“Widespread opposition has had an impact so far, and we need to keep it up,” she said.