Californians Call on Legislature to Protect State’s Coast from Expanded Offshore Oil Drilling
Press Release Date: April 28, 2026
Location: SACRAMENTO, Calif.
Contact:
Ashley Blacow, Cory Gunkel | email: ablacow@oceana.org, cgunkel@oceana.org | tel: 1.831.643.9220, Cory Gunkel
On the 21st annual Ocean Day at the California Capitol today, conservation, business, and student advocates urged state legislators to stand up to the Trump administration’s plans to rapidly expand offshore oil and gas drilling off the California coast.
“On the heels of the tragic anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, California is advancing legislation to protect its coast, wildlife, and fisheries from another disaster,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “Offshore drilling puts California’s coastal businesses and communities at risk. Dozens of state and federal lawmakers, thousands of businesses and residents, and national security leaders have all voiced their overwhelming opposition to expanded offshore drilling off California’s coast. We urge lawmakers to pass legislation to help keep the state’s treasured waters safe and thriving for future generations.”
The Trump administration’s first draft of its five-year offshore drilling plan, released in November 2025, proposed opening all federal waters off California to expanded offshore drilling. Recently, the administration also attempted to preempt state laws and court injunctions that prohibit Sable Offshore Corporation from restarting the pipeline that was responsible for the oil spill at Refugio State Beach in 2015.
To thwart the federal administration’s efforts off California’s coast, state lawmakers are seeking to advance two proposals:
- AB 1448 by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) was amended today to prohibit the use of existing infrastructure for new federal drilling leases; close the last remaining gap in state law that could allow for new drilling in state waters; and require that decisions on lease renewals, modifications, amendments, and assignments consider impacts to public resources. AB 1448 will likely proceed to a hearing with the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. Oceana is a co-sponsor of AB 1448, along with Environmental Defense Center and Center for Biological Diversity.
- SJR 12 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) re-affirms California’s support for protecting the state’s communities, coastal economies, and environment from the impacts of expanded offshore oil and gas drilling and associated spills. It opposes California’s inclusion in the federal administration’s draft five-year offshore leasing plan, which proposes opening all federal waters off the state to new offshore oil leases. SJR 12 has 47 bipartisan co-authors and passed the Senate last week in a vote of 27-8.
“California’s coast is integral to our environment, economy, and identity. This resolution makes clear that Californians, as well as leaders across the country, oppose a reckless offshore drilling plan that ignores environmental risks and input from the public. This is not a partisan issue. Leaders from both parties and from coastal states across the nation recognize that the risks of offshore drilling far outweigh any potential benefits.” – Senator John Laird, author of SJR 12
“As Sable continues to threaten our coast, I’m introducing new legislation to push back against the Trump administration’s expansion of offshore oil drilling. This bill gives California greater authority over offshore activity and restricts new oil and gas infrastructure along our shoreline. We must act now to stop this federal overreach and protect our coast for future generations.” – Assemblymember Gregg Hart, author of AB 1448
“These bills show that California can continue to lead the country to leave behind the era of corrupt and poisonous fossil fuels. The administration is attempting to prop up a dying industry on the California coast — offering up new leases, giving the green light to fracking in the ocean, and allowing one Texas oil company to ignore the law and the courts in order to restart a defective pipeline. We’ll continue to work with our state legislators, clients, and partners to stand up to Trump and the oil industry as they strive to enrich themselves at the expense of human health, wildlife, and the environment in one of the most biodiverse marine regions in the world.” – Linda Krop, Chief Counsel, Environmental Defense Center, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit environmental law firm
“At a time when federal proposals threaten to open nearly all of California’s coast to offshore drilling, state leadership is stepping up to defend what our communities have long fought to protect. These bills represent a critical line of defense to protect California from federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling and production. The National Azul Poll shows that Latino voters overwhelmingly support banning offshore drilling and investing instead in renewable energy. Californians have made it clear: our coast is not for sale. We must continue advancing bold, community-centered policies that move beyond harmful fossil fuels and protect our ocean for generations to come.” – Marcela Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul Founder and Executive Director
“Offshore drilling is a dirty, dangerous practice that inevitably leads to spills and the environmental and economic destruction that follows. The Trump administration’s relentless push for fossil fuels threatens everyone who depends on a healthy ocean — and in California, that’s everyone. Our communities have a right to clean beaches and thriving coastal economies. We applaud Senator Laird and Assembly Members Addis and Hart for standing up to protect both.” – Jennifer Savage, California Policy Associate Director, Surfrider Foundation
“California has long recognized that healthy ocean ecosystems are essential for thriving communities, resilient wildlife, and a stable climate. We applaud the leadership of Senator John Laird, Assemblymember Dawn Addis, and Assemblymember Gregg Hart for standing up to renewed federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling. This legislative package will strengthen California’s ability to safeguard our coast, protect marine life, and support resilient coastal economies — ensuring our ocean can continue to sustain both people and nature for generations to come.” – Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
“The Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast (BAPPC) and our 8,200+ business members wholeheartedly support SJR 12 and AB 1448. These ocean protection bills will safeguard our coasts from the devastating impacts of offshore oil & gas spills that close our beaches and fisheries and harm our coastal economies. With over $51.3 billion of coastal GDP at stake, as Californians we must protect our economic engine — our Pacific Ocean and precious coastline.” – Grant Bixby, Founding Member, BAPPC
“Save Our Shores stands in strong support of these measures. California’s coastline is home to irreplaceable marine ecosystems, vibrant coastal communities, and an economy that depends on clean, healthy waters. These measures strengthen the safeguards our coast needs and deserves.” – Katie Thompson, Executive Director, Save Our Shores
“California Coastkeeper Alliance stands firmly behind this offshore oil legislative package as a critical line of defense against the Trump administration’s relentless assault on California’s coast. These bills strengthen California’s ability to protect our waters, marine habitats, and coastal communities from the irreversible destruction that fossil fuel development brings. Californians will not go back to offshore drilling — and we call on the Legislature to pass these measures without hesitation or delay.” – Marty Farrell, Staff Attorney, California Coastkeeper Alliance
“We applaud the efforts of the California Legislature to put a stop to the massive threat posed by offshore oil drilling. San Francisco Bay is already surrounded by oil refineries, and has a dirty history of oil spills. The risk of a catastrophic spill goes up the more oil we suck out of the ground, and the costs of these spills are incalculable. Oil doesn’t belong in our Bay, in the ocean, or in our neighborhoods, period.” – Ben Eichenberg, Attorney, San Francisco Baykeeper
“We strongly support this critical step toward preventing harmful offshore oil and gas development in California, helping protect its vital coastal economy — generating over $44 billion annually — as well as the marine and coastal habitats, biodiversity, and livelihoods that would be directly impacted by a spill. Research consistently shows that increased oil production would not lower consumer gas prices; these are driven by global market forces, not local supply. The United States already holds over 9,000 unused permits — representing more than a decade’s worth of potential development. In reality, companies are choosing not to utilize these existing permits while retaining the ability to raise prices at the pump. This prioritizes profit at the expense of consumers. Meanwhile, oil and gas executives are generating up to $97 million in daily profits. Californians, on the other hand, are left to shoulder the burden — facing astronomical gas prices while also standing on the front lines of potential impacts to local economies, livelihoods, food systems, and coastal recreation.” – Yehuda Ben-Hamo, Coastal Conservation Manager, WILDCOAST
“Expanding offshore drilling deepens the risk of spills, accelerates climate impacts, and undermines decades of hard-won environmental protections. We must continue to strengthen, not weaken, the policies that defend our coastline and our ocean for future generations. Heal the Ocean stands in strong support of the ongoing work of the Environmental Defense Center and Oceana to safeguard California’s coast from renewed federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling.”- Karina Johnston, Executive Director, Heal the Ocean
“As the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill was a tragedy we must learn from, not replicate. With the Trump administration once again attempting to use federal overreach to bypass California’s environmental protections for the sole benefit of oil and gas industry, we applaud the legislative efforts by Senator Laird and Assemblymen Addis and Hart to protect California waters and the wildlife who live there, like southern sea otters, blue whales, sea turtles and many more.” – Daniel Moss, Senior Government Relations Representative, Defenders of Wildlife
“At a time when all of our energy efforts should be focused on pivoting away from fossil fuels, the current Federal administration has been captured by the industry’s need to expand. These bills throttle that expansion from harming our beautiful and productive California coast.” – Michael Stocker, Director, Ocean Conservation Research
“These bills are an important response to the attack California’s Central Coast is under from the villainous duo of the oil industry and the current federal government. While our communities suffer from ongoing and regular oil spills and operation emergencies that threaten our public health, state leaders are standing up for community and environmental health by challenging the federal calls to increase drilling along the Central Coast, and protecting the years of climate progress and protections we have fought for.” – Haley Ehlers, Executive Director, Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas (CFROG)
