Demonstrators protest drilling plan
‘We are here today to show the Trump Administration that we won’t let him turn our oceans into oil’
California’s opponents to offshore oil drilling joined forces on Thursday, marching and chanting at a federal hearing to denounce President Trump’s proposal to give energy companies access to leases off the Pacific coast.
“We are here today to show the Trump Administration that we won’t let him turn our oceans into oil,” said Kristen Monsell of the new anti- drilling coalition Protect The Pacific.
Themeeting— held a two-hour drive from the ocean was the administration’s only public event about proposed drilling in the entire state. It was structured as a casual “open house” with federal staff, offering no chance for formal testimony. Instead, the public was told to submit their opinions by computer.
Frustrated, demonstrators who had traveled from farflung coastal corners of the state marched around the room, waving placards saying “Drills = Spills” and “Oil Money Out.” Some were costumed as sharks, dolphins and whales.
“This is the only opportunity
people have to voice their the opinions,” said Blake Kopcho of the Oaklandbased Center for Biological Diversity. Outside, protesters shouted into megaphones and rallied around environmental leaders like Charles Lester, former director of the California Coastal Commission.
The tense scene was emblematic of the rift between California and the Trump Administration over the plan, which could allow oil and gas companies to lease 47 areas off America’s coastlines from 2019 to 2024 — including six sites off the California coast.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has asked that the state be pulled from the plan, noting broad bipartisan opposition across the state. Florida has been given an exemption, citing concerns raised by GOP Gov. Rick Scott.
“Now is not the time to decide that,” responded William Brown, chief environmental officer for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Governors’ comments are evaluated during the 60- day public comment period, which closes on March 9, he said.
A final list of drill sites, with plans, will be released in 1-½ years, Brown said.
Next fall, the federal government will release a formal proposal of its plans, with a narrowed list of possible lease sites, along with a 300-page Environmental Impact Report, he said.
“It is a winnowing process” of site selection, said BOEM spokesman John Romero. “It starts large, looking at a vast geologic area and then it’swinnowed down for areas of potential consideration.”
A rally was staged an hour before the hearing in California todiscuss the federal offshore drilling plan. Speakers included state controller Betty Yee, Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg; Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara; Assemblymember Monique Limón, D- Santa Barbara, who introduced an Assembly Joint Resolution against new offshore drilling.
The Trump proposal, which is part of a larger plan to unravel environmental restrictions to promote energy production, lifts a ban on drilling imcluding from leaders such posed by President Barack as, U. S. Sen. Dianne FeinObama. stein, D- Calif, Oregon Gov.
Calling it “a newpath for Kate Brown and Washingenergy dominance in Amerton Gov. Jay Inslee. ica,” U.S. Interior Secretary On Wednesday, the CaliRyan Zinke said that offfornia State Lands Commisshore drilling will produce sion sent a letter to the fedmore domestic energy and eral government urging it reduce the nation’s depento withdraw this area from dency on foreign sources. leasing consideration, stat
The administration also ing that California will not has announced it would approve new pipeline or alloosen oil- drilling rules low use of existing pipelines put in place after the 2010 to transport oil from new Deepwater Horizon spill in leases ashore. The Commisthe Gulf of Mexico. Those sion manages oil, gas, and rules require more frequent mineral resources in state safety inspections of oil rig waters. equipment. If the Trump Adminis
But the drilling plan is tration implements the promeeting fierce opposition posal, it faces a number of along the Pacific coast, in- significant hurdles to new drilling in California.
At least 18 California coastal cities and nine of California’s 15 coastal counties — Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Sonoma, San Diego, Humboldt and Mendocino — have local laws that ban the construction of onshore oil terminals, pipelines and other oil equipment without a public vote.
In addition, all new oil and gas drilling is banned in state waters — from the beach out to three miles offshore — under a law signed by former California Gov. Pete Wilson. The Trump administration’s proposal would allow new drilling in federal waters, from three to 200 miles offshore.
Finally, under federal law, no drilling can occur in national marine sanctuaries, such as Monterey Bay, the Channel Islands or the Greater Farallones off the Marin and Sonoma coasts.
Most governors whose states would be affected — Democrats and Republicans — have opposed the idea. Delaware is worried about the growing clam aquaculture industry in its ocean- side bays. Virginia is concerned that drilling could interfere with military training and the tourism industry
On the East Coast, more than 140 localities have adopted resolutions against offshore drilling or seismic surveys for oil and gas, according to the environmental group Oceana.
“We need our coast, we need our water,” said protestor Sandra Lewis of Chico. “We need to keep the oil in the ground. We have so many alternatives possible.”