Trump administration plans new offshore oil leases off California and Florida
The Trump administration has announced plans for new offshore oil leases in California and Florida, citing a need for energy security and job creation. The federal government has not allowed drilling in federal waters off Florida since 1995, citing concerns about oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.
In California, the administration has separately opened a federal review of the state’s coastal management program, which is run largely by the California Coastal Commission. The review is part of the administration’s effort to get more crude flowing through the state and to reverse California’s push to move away from fossil fuels.
The commission has held a powerful role for decades in shaping development along California’s coast, weighing in on projects — including those involving federal agencies — that touch the state’s rugged coastal bluffs, pristine beaches and world-class surfing spots. Environmental advocates said they fear the review could strip the commission of that authority over federal-agency projects.
Advocates said the review puts the commission’s long-standing role at issue, warning that a federal shift could curtail the panel’s influence over how the state’s coastline is developed.