West coast governors united against Trump’s disastrous offshore drilling plan

The California Natural Resources Agency also submitted formal comments today opposing the offshore drilling proposal, highlighting the threat to California’s marine ecosystems, its coastal communities, and economy.

“This is not a partisan or geographic issue. Over the last four decades, California leaders have expressed consistent, united opposition to any new offshore oil and gas activities,” wrote California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “In 2006, 2008, 2014, and 2017, Republican and Democratic governors in California, Oregon, and Washington sent letters to the President of the United States and to Congress supporting moratoria on new offshore oil and gas leasing and opposing any efforts to renew and expand oil and gas leasing off the entire West Coast. The economic, environmental, and community risks of expanded offshore drilling are simply too great.”

The California Natural Resources Agency oversees the state’s efforts to protect coastal resources, manage marine protected areas, and coordinate responses to oil spills.

The Agency has partnered with advocates, lawmakers, and local leaders to highlight the dangerous impacts of new offshore oil and gas drilling and urge Californians to submit comments on the federal proposal.

Oil spills don’t just devastate marine life—they also make the cost of living even costlier for working families. When spills happen, fisheries close for months, tourism jobs disappear, beaches shut down, and communities are stuck with billions in cleanup costs. California’s coastal economy supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates over $44 billion annually—all of which is put at risk by offshore drilling.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also submitted formal comments opposing the offshore drilling proposal, emphasizing the state’s authority to protect its coastal communities and economy.

The cost of offshore oil and gas drilling: dead wildlife, devastated communities, billions of dollars in damages
Well blowouts, pipeline ruptures, and catastrophic spills are inherent risks of offshore oil and gas drilling, not isolated incidents. These disasters cost billions of dollars, take decades to remediate, and cause devastating impacts to marine ecosystems and coastal communities that depend on a clean, sustainable ocean environment for their livelihoods. These aren’t hypothetical risks. They’re California’s reality. A few notable, major oil spills off the Golden State’s coast include:

• 2021 Amplify Spill, Huntington Beach: approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil spilled; Amplify charged $210 million in civil and criminal penalties, $12 million in criminal fees, and an additional $18 million in criminal fees and cleanup costs.
• 2015 Refugio Spill, Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara: 100,000 gallons spilled from a crude oil pipeline: 232 marine mammals were injured or killed, alongside 558 birds killed; $22.3 million settlement to restore natural resources.
• 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill: Over 4.2 million gallons spilled from a platform blowout, prompting the launch of the modern environmental movement.

The Golden State is leading the nation in protecting its natural resources. Through California’s 30×30 initiative, a commitment to conserve 30% of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, California added over 1 million acres of conserved land and waters in a single year. That’s larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

Under Governor Newsom’s leadership in just the last year, California helped establish two new national monuments, launched a major project restoring shallow water habitats at the Salton Sea, and received international recognition for protecting marine habitats. California is also ensuring that all residents can access the state’s natural wonders with programs like State Parks’ discount pass programs and our Youth Community Access Program.

California’s coast isn’t just an environmental treasure—it’s also an economic powerhouse that supports local jobs and businesses, generating over $44 billion annually.