Santa Cruz Leads Fight Against Deep-Sea Mining

Local leaders work to expand 'Blue Wall' ordinances to block offshore mineral extraction

Apr. 4, 2026 at 10:21pm

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In recent months, leaders in California and Santa Cruz County have spoken out in opposition to offshore drilling and seabed mining in the state. Local governing bodies, including the county Board of Supervisors and the Capitola City Council, have issued statements condemning the practice. Nonprofit Save Our Shores is working with Santa Cruz County and the city of Santa Cruz to develop ordinances that would create barriers for mining companies looking to establish operations off California's coast.

Why it matters

The deep-sea mining industry is still in its infancy, but environmentalists are concerned that future mining operations may have profound effects on the deep sea and midwater ecosystems. Scientists and policymakers are now scrambling to protect some of the least understood parts of the ocean from a threat that has yet to fully materialize.

The details

Different seabed mining companies are developing diverse equipment and techniques for mining, including large machines that scrape nodules off the seafloor and fleets of robotic arms that pluck the metal-rich nodules. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a Europe-sized field of abyssal seafloor in the Pacific Ocean, is one of the areas that companies are eyeing to mine for polymetallic nodules. However, experts warn that scraping the seafloor could wipe out the diverse communities of creatures that live there, and that stirring up sediment could pollute the ocean and disrupt the food web.

  • In recent months, local leaders have spoken out against offshore drilling and seabed mining.
  • The city of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County are working to develop new ordinances this spring to block mining companies from establishing onshore facilities.

The players

Save Our Shores

A nonprofit organization working with Santa Cruz County and the city of Santa Cruz to develop ordinances that would create barriers for mining companies.

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors

The local governing body that has issued statements condemning deep-sea mining.

Capitola City Council

The local governing body that has issued statements condemning deep-sea mining.

Katie Thompson

The executive director of Save Our Shores who is leading the effort to expand 'Blue Wall' ordinances to block offshore mineral extraction.

Dan Haifley

A well-known environmentalist who is consulting on the policy changes and educating officials and the public about the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining.

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What they’re saying

“If you build a wall along the California coast, you create solidarity amongst coastal communities.”

— Dan Haifley, Environmentalist

“Once Santa Cruz does this, it's going to be a trigger for these other jurisdictions to act. Santa Cruz will be a model like they were in the '80s with offshore oil.”

— Katie Thompson, Executive Director, Save Our Shores

What’s next

The city of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County are expected to finalize their new ordinances blocking deep-sea mining later this spring. Other coastal counties in California are also expected to follow suit and adopt similar measures.

The takeaway

Santa Cruz is leading the charge to protect California's coastline from the potential environmental devastation of deep-sea mining. By expanding the 'Blue Wall' of local ordinances, they aim to create a united front among coastal communities and deter mining companies from establishing operations off the state's shores.