Photo: BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a step toward leasing areas for offshore oil and gas drilling in California this week, by launching an associated environmental process.
BOEM announced Thursday the department would prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for lease sales in northern, central and southern California.
A soon-to-be-released statement will primarily concern sales planned for 2027 in central and southern California, according to BOEM.
A Northern California lease sale is proposed for 2029, according to a BOEM document.
This is a California-specific part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to open lease areas in federal waters across the country for sale to oil and gas companies, with an aim to restore domestic energy production.
“California households are facing an energy affordability crisis, and inaction is no longer an option,” said Acting BOEM Director Matt Giacona in a press release.
“This Notice of Intent reflects the administration’s commitment to responsibly evaluating offshore leasing as part of a broader strategy to lower costs, strengthen energy security, and support American jobs,” he said.
The notice for leases in southern and central California will be published Friday in the Federal Register, which opens a 30-day public scoping period, according to BOEM.
During this period, “BOEM invites input from tribal, state, and local governments, stakeholders, and the public. Comments will help identify key issues, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigation measures for consideration in the programmatic environmental impact statement,” the BOEM press release said.
This process is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The controversial proposal to open new leases in California waters for the first time in decades, an idea formally introduced in a proposed draft plan released in late 2025, has seen widespread opposition from leaders in California.
A letter from lawmakers, including Rep. Jared Huffman, a vocal opponent of the proposal, blasted the Trump Administration’s efforts to open the California coast to drilling.
These members of congress called for a 90-day extension of the public comment period in the letter.
“California’s coastal economy supports roughly 511,000 jobs and generates over $51.3 billion in GDP from marine-economy activities — largely in tourism and recreation — meaning that new offshore drilling could jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of working families,” Tuesday’s letter said.
In anticipation of the 2025 proposal, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors narrowly passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling in October. The City of Arcata followed. The Humboldt Bay Harbor District is working on an ordinance to limit offshore oil support facilities in Humboldt Bay.
The proposal to open California to offshore drilling was quickly met with backlash, with opponents pointing to past oil spills — including a significant 1969 spill in Santa Barbara, CA. The state hasn’t seen a new lease sale in federal waters since 1984.
Photo: BOEM
Matt Simmons, attorney for the Arcata-based Environmental Protection Information Center, which is opposed to offshore drilling, argued any environmental considerations by the federal government on drilling will be “sorely lacking.”
“The Trump EPA has very partisanly and very openly talked about how they want to deregulate,” he said.
Despite EPIC’s skepticism the feds will undertake a robust environmental review, the organization is urging the public to comment on the environmental effects of offshore drilling in California.
“This is the part of the process where you tell the EPA what they need to consider in their draft, before they write the draft,” explained Simmons.
Public comment information can be found at: www.boem.gov/CA-OGPEIS
PREVIOUSLY
Board Narrowly Approves Resolution Against Offshore Drilling and Mining
Arcata City Council Adopts Resolution Opposing Offshore Oil Drilling
CLICK TO MANAGE