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California Lawmakers Urge Halt to New Offshore Drilling Plans
Delegation cites economic, military concerns in opposing federal proposal to open up waters off Central and Southern California
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
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A group of California lawmakers, including Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff and Representative Salud Carbajal, have formally urged the Trump administration to abandon plans to open up new areas off the California coast for offshore oil and gas leasing. The lawmakers cited the state's thriving coastal economy, which supports over 500,000 jobs and generates over $51 billion in GDP, as well as military readiness concerns in their letter opposing the proposal.
Why it matters
California's coastal communities have long opposed new offshore drilling due to the potential environmental and economic risks. This latest push by federal authorities to expand drilling access comes despite strong local opposition and could threaten thousands of jobs in the state's tourism, recreation, and other marine-related industries.
The details
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently opened up roughly 36 million acres offshore Central California and 68 million acres offshore Southern California, including parts of the Santa Barbara Channel, for industry nomination and public comment on potential new offshore oil and gas leasing. The California delegation's letter argued that new drilling infrastructure and operations could jeopardize the state's thriving coastal economy and increase risks to military readiness in the congested maritime space.
- On February 23, 2026, the California lawmakers sent a letter to the Trump administration opposing the BOEM's proposal.
- The public comment period on the potential new offshore leasing areas is set to close on February 26, 2026.
- The lawmakers requested a 90-day extension of the current comment period to allow more time for residents, Tribal Nations, local governments, and coastal industries to respond.
The players
Salud Carbajal
U.S. Representative for California's 24th congressional district, which includes Santa Barbara.
Alex Padilla
U.S. Senator for California.
Adam Schiff
U.S. Senator for California.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
A federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior that oversees offshore energy development.
Trump administration
The federal government under former President Donald Trump.
What’s next
The public comment period on the potential new offshore leasing areas is set to close on February 26, 2026. The California lawmakers have requested a 90-day extension of the comment period to allow more time for stakeholders to respond.
The takeaway
This latest push by the federal government to expand offshore drilling access off California's coast faces strong opposition from the state's congressional delegation, who argue it could jeopardize the state's thriving coastal economy and increase risks to military operations. The outcome of this debate will have significant implications for the future of energy development and environmental protection along the California shoreline.
