California lawmakers vow to thwart new offshore oil drilling
SACRAMENTO — A California lawmaker says she is introducing legislation to thwart President Donald Trump’s attempts to expand offshore drilling through an executive order he signed Friday.
Trump’s order to roll back restrictions on offshore oil drilling opens the door to new drilling off the California coast, state officials say.
State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson said she will introduce legislation next week to ban new oil and gas infrastructure like pipelines in state waters and on the coast. The Santa Barbara Democrat said her bill will prevent new drilling in federal waters by curtailing companies’ ability to transport new oil and gas through coastal waters controlled by the state.
“For the sake of our environment, our economy and quality of life, the door that Trump wants to open to offshore oil and gas drilling must be closed,” Jackson said.
The executive order Trump signed Friday is aimed at expanding oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and dismantling environmental regulations enacted by his predecessor, former President Barack Obama. New drilling off the California coast is currently prohibited by policies Obama enacted. Trump’s executive order directs his new interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, to review Obama-era offshore drilling policies.
“This executive order starts the process of opening offshore areas to job-creating energy exploration,” Trump said during a White House signing ceremony. “It reverses the previous administration’s Arctic leasing ban and directs Secretary Zinke to allow responsible development of off-shore areas that will bring revenue to our treasury and jobs to our workers.”
Jackson said she will amend a currently unrelated bill, SB188, to ban the State Lands Commission from approving new pipelines, piers and other oil infrastructure in state waters.
Although California officials lack authority over federal waters in the Pacific, they do control waters within three miles of the state’s coastline.
The Western States Petroleum Association did not comment on Jackson’s proposal specifically, but spokeswoman Kara Siepmann said the group’s member companies are watching the issue closely.