California Senate Takes Critical Step to Stop Expanded Offshore Drilling
Press Release Date: August 26, 2026
Location: SACRAMENTO, Calif.
Contact:
Cory Gunkel, Ashley Blacow | email: cgunkel@oceana.org, ablacow@oceana.org | tel: Cory Gunkel, 1.831.643.9220
The California Senate passed legislation today that would strengthen protections for the state’s iconic coastline from federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1448, by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), would prohibit the use of existing infrastructure for new federal drilling leases and bolster state authority over leases.
The bill comes as the Trump administration has proposed auctioning off California’s entire coast for offshore drilling. The federal government has also initiated a review that could potentially weaken the California Coastal Commission, which reviews projects that impact the coasts, including offshore drilling.
The bill is co-authored by Assemblymembers Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) and Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), along with Senators Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), and Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles). The legislation will now head to the California State Assembly for a vote. The Assembly passed AB1448 last year and will look to advance this updated version.
Oceana is a co-sponsor of the bill, along with the Center for Biological Diversity and Environmental Defense Center.
“Californians want to end the destructive legacy of offshore drilling,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “Decades of oil spills have made it clear what’s at stake, and this crucial bill will help prevent future disasters. Offshore drilling puts California’s coastal communities at serious risk of economic and environmental ruin. Thousands of residents and businesses, dozens of state and federal lawmakers, and national security leaders have all voiced their overwhelming opposition to new offshore drilling off California’s coast. We urge the Assembly to pass this legislation, and Governor Newsom to sign it into law, so California’s waters remain healthy and thriving for future generations.”
“The Central Coast of California has suffered the consequences of offshore drilling for more than a century—oil poisoning the ocean, dead animals washing up on the beach, businesses closed, and lives disrupted,” said Linda Krop, Chief Counsel for the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara. “As the existing platforms age far beyond their intended lifespans, and as the current federal administration attempts to override environmental and safety laws and enable dangerous projects like the Sable pipeline, the threat of another major spill on our coast is becoming even more dire. It’s time to move past this destructive industry and make it clear that California will not stand for new drilling in our waters.”
“California has fought for decades to protect our coast from the damage caused by offshore oil drilling, and we are not going backward,” said Asm. Gregg Hart. “Now, as the Trump Administration seeks to open California’s coast to new threats from federal drilling, we have a responsibility to use every tool available to stop it. My legislation will prevent California infrastructure from being used to support new federal offshore oil development and to make clear that our coastline is not for sale. Today’s Senate vote brings us one step closer to putting that protection into law.”
“This bill helps ensure California’s coast remains protected for future generations by preventing state infrastructure from being used to support the expansion of new federal offshore oil drilling,” said Sen. John Laird. “I’m proud to coauthor legislation that reinforces California’s longstanding commitment to protecting our coast. From the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to our fishing, tourism, and recreation economies, protecting our coast means protecting the communities, jobs, and natural resources that define the Central Coast.”
“AB 1448 is essential in helping to protect California’s coast from efforts to expand offshore oil drilling,” said Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear. “As a Senator who represents over 60 miles of Southern California coastline and Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, I am committed to protecting our state’s coastal waters and beaches against oil drilling, oil spills and pollution and contamination of any kind.”
The action is consistent with new polling released in July by the Public Policy Institute of California, which found that 63% of Californians oppose allowing more oil drilling off the coast. To learn more about AB1448, visit here.
